The Wrath of a God
by The Vash Man
Summary: This story tells of Link growing up. A new, greedy king has arrived, Link's heart is broken, and Zelda must save the day. Will Hyrule crumble? Or will Zelda prevail?
1. Chapter One: Nightmares

The corridor was long and dimly lit. The proud, strong royal elite guards that would never move from their post, even if the castle were falling down around them, were surprisingly absent. It almost seemed as if there was but one solitary candle lit in the whole castle, and it was at the end of the hall; in Zelda's room. The absence of guards made Link feel uneasy and he reached for his sword but to his shock, it was gone. He couldn't understand how he could just forget it like that. But as he walked on, he realized that he didn't even remember how he got there in the first place. The hall seemed longer than usual, but as he got closer to the light, he heard a familiar sound that made him feel much safer. It tugged at his heartstrings and put butterflies in his stomach. It was the soft sound of Zelda humming her lullaby, the royal trademark of her family.  
  
    Link's heart beat faster, as he took each step toward the warm glow. The lullaby brought back a flood of memories that erupted unbidden from his memory; memories of his youth when Zelda first asked him to save her kingdom, memories of his conquests with the master sword, memories of his only ally, who quickly became his close friend, and when that ally, Sheik, revealed herself to be the very woman he was fighting to protect. He remembered his horrible battle with the King of Evil himself, Ganon. He remembered his feelings in that battle, feelings of fear, not for himself, but for Zelda whom Ganon snatched from his grasp to use as bait to lure him into a battle for the triforce. He remembered how deep in his heart, at that moment, he didn't care whether or not Ganon claimed the triforce, enslaved the world, or even killed him; all he cared about was Zelda's life. And he fought more furiously for that than anything else during his quest.  
  
    Finally, Link was upon his destination, Zelda's bedroom. One of the large double doors to her room was open, and therein dwelt the source of light and comfort. Zelda was standing at her window, three lone candles burned brightly above her bed, which bathed her bedchamber in a deep orange glow, just as if it was coming from a roaring fireplace. Zelda faced the vast Hyrule field that was blanketed in white, cool moonlight; her back was to Link.  
  
    "Link. I thought you would never make it down that hallway." Her voice was soft and friendly, as usual. "Please come in." Link moved timidly from the doorway to the middle of the room.  
  
    "You…asked to see me?" said Link, ever nervous before the beautiful princess, and still not sure why he was there.  
  
     "Yes, I asked to see you." she paused for a long time and then said in a much deeper, almost dark, tone of voice "I need you." Link forced down a hard gulp. "Do you know why I desire you?" asked Zelda. Link, who began to tremble ever so slightly, simply shook his head. Yet it puzzled him as to how she knew of his answer with her back still to him. "POWER." hissed the princess. Link was taken aback.  
  
    "What does she mean 'power'?" he pondered.  
  
    "You have much power Link," though it was still her voice, it didn't sound like Zelda talking anymore. Never would the princess say his name in such a curt tone. "And I want it."  
  
    "W-what do you mean? Princess? What's wrong?" Link, ever quiet and bashful could not understand why she was behaving this way.  
  
    "You feel it too boy. You've felt it for quite some time now haven't you? The need to join with me."  
  
    "I-"  
  
    "You want me, stop lying to yourself! Stop resisting me! Together, we would be unconquerable and you know it!!" Zelda cut Link off with her insane ranting. Link at this point, feeling in some way defiled and betrayed, begged to Zelda with reason.  
  
    "Princess please! Stop it! Why are you saying these things?"  
  
    "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Because they're true! That's why!!" Zelda began to turn around and as she did, lightning bolted across the window and thunder roared, so loud that it shook the castle and a storm began to rage from what was moments ago, a serene atmosphere. The three candles were snuffed by the raging wind; they're once mighty glow paled in comparison to the unholy lightning.  
  
    Zelda turned to finally face Link, and what he saw terrified him. Zelda wore upon her face, the fierce deity mask. The eyes that were once so wide and blue, calm oceans that he would drift on while daydreaming, were now glowing a dangerous red, a red as rich as blood. "I am what you crave boy. I know not why you insist on shunning me."  
  
    "N-no! No!" Link wanted to scream but could only manage a choked whisper.  
  
    "You have felt my power once before. Do you not remember the rush? The thrill of such unrestrained power? You were but a whelp then but even then our power was so great, that that fool Majora could not stand against us." Zelda shook her fist and smiled at the thought as the fierce deity mask spoke through Zelda's mouth and controlled her movements. She then reached out her hand to Link in an inviting gesture. "Come now, do you not want to experience the power again?"  
  
    "No! Stay away!" Link clutched his head as he could hear its voice in his head simultaneously with Zelda's. "Get out of my head!"  
  
    "Take me Link, take me now." it said using Zelda's voice to try and seduce him. Link fell to his knees and his head throbbed as her voice ricocheted off the walls of his skull.  
  
     "Take me."  
  
     "Wear me"  
  
     "So strong"  
  
     "Put me on"  
  
     "The power"  
  
     "Know you want it" Link looked to the sky and screamed at the top of his lungs as his mind began to collapse.  
  
    "Noooooooooooooooooo!" Link found himself sitting up in his bed, in a cold sweat, huffing and puffing; his heart felt like it was trying to escape from his chest. Link was bewildered and it took him a few minutes to get a grasp of his surroundings. It was dawn, stray beams of sunlight were beginning to break through the thick shroud of trees that surrounded his little cottage; nestled away in the outskirts of the lost woods, not truly part of the kokiri people, and not with the Hylians either. Ever since that fateful day Navi woke him from a nightmare so many years ago, he no longer had a place anywhere. Link finally came to grips with himself and calmed down; he rubbed his wet face and moaned over another restless night. "Another nightmare." he thought to himself. "The same one at that. This hasn't happened to me since I was a kid."  
  
     He reached behind himself as he fumbled for his cap that hung on the bedpost. He secured his hat on his head, got up and fastened his tunic around himself. He pondered the meaning of his dream as he went about his daily morning routine. He was more occupied with the dream on this particular morning more so than others. Every thing he did seemed to be on autopilot.  
  
    "The last time I had a recurring nightmare like this I ended up on a quest to stop Ganon. This must be my gift. I get to know about catastrophes beforehand. But, it can't be me this time, its that mask…" he thought to himself as he carried a hefty sack of oats into the small stable next to his house to feed Epona. "It's like the mask is controlling my dreams, like…like it's alive somehow. But how can that be? It may have the power of a deceased deity, but the power lies dormant unless someone is wearing it." Link pondered furiously as he waited for Epona to finish her breakfast, not realizing that he forgot to put oats in her feedbag. "Whoops. Sorry girl, guess I'm not exactly with it this morning. Let me see if I have a carrot for ya." Link tried to check his pockets for a tasty treat for his trusted friend but his pockets were curiously absent. Upon further investigation of his person, he came to the conclusion that his tunic was on backwards.  
  
    Link could not stop thinking about what his dream meant. As he rode to Lon Lon Ranch (a mere twenty minutes or so from his house) to buy some milk for his breakfast, Link worried himself over Princess Zelda and what she had to do with his dream. He had always felt strongly about the Princess. He seemed to measure time by his meetings with Zelda. After the imprisonment war, Link sought to return home to the Kokiri forest to find his friend Saria. After his brief quest in Termina, he returned home to find that Saria was not there to greet him, as she was now an awakened sage. Navi also left Link, as her mission given by the great Deku tree was complete. Link received a lukewarm homecoming from the kokiri children. They knew of his true heritage, that of Hylian ancestry, and it showed; Link had become bigger than the kokiri children and would continue to grow. He was casually shunned by everyone until Mido finally convinced the people that Link had to go. Having no family, Link could not venture to live in Kakariko village, or the Hyrule court.  
  
     So he sought out Princess Zelda. Zelda was always kind to him and it could be said that she had feelings for Link, but she could never devote time to Link. She was the royal Princess of Hyrule, and a sage. She had many royal duties to attend to and the constant pressure to be proper and well mannered at all times, so taking a walk with a young man in rugged forest child clothing was simply out of the question. Though it pained her to do so, she could not tend to Link and tailor his needs. Link had favor with the royal family however, as the hero of time Link was allowed to live in the castle and was granted all the privileges of the royal court. But Link, having grown up in the forest, had little need for such things and did not care for the cold comforts of royal life. All he wanted was to be with Princess Zelda, and that could not happen. Shunned once again, Link sought solitude in the forest. He built a home for himself and grew up there.  
  
    Link spent his days exploring Hyrule and chasing the moon across Hyrule field on Epona. He spent time visiting acquaintances made during the imprisonment war and making new friends. Several times the royal family called on his courage to handle a few skirmishes with minor threats now and again, but nothing he ever broke a sweat over. Though he relished in the excuse to spend time with Zelda, as did she. He told her of her adventures during the imprisonment war and of his journey through Termina to stop the moon from destroying the planet. Despite all of Links great courage, he never told Zelda of his true feelings for her, though at times it was embarrassingly obvious. Zelda, was always much more reserved around Link and if she did love Link it didn't show. But he didn't care, as long as she was happy and safe, Link was content. And he would make sure it stayed that way, no matter the cost.  
  
    He could not figure out why Zelda was in his dream, and he was more worried about the mask than Zelda's participation in the dream. If his theory was correct, the fierce deity mask was alive and that worried him more than anything. He had seen the effects first hand of a mask possessed by vast evil power, he was able to thwart that mask and save a foreign land, but the mask he kept as a trophy of that victory made the original mask look like the bunny hood. Link wore the fierce deity mask only once, to defeat the mask of Majora. The mask of Majora was crushed before the might of the fierce deity. Link struggled against the mask of Majora by himself, his other enchanted masks were of little to no use in the battle; he was hesitant to use a mask that was as evil as Majora to defeat Majora. He had never been more wrong. The evil in the mask of Majora was nothing compared to the fierce deity mask. And the power was even greater. Once Link was finally out of options, he donned the fierce deity's mask. After that, he barely had to try. He knew the mask was dangerous, and wouldn't use it again for fear of being consumed by the immense evil within, so he decided to keep the mask as a sort of trophy, to ensure that it would never fall into the wrong hands.  
  
     The dreams persisted however and started to wear on Link's psyche. He began to think he was hallucinating at times, but what's worse, he couldn't tell if the visions were results of his lack of rest, or products of the fierce deity mask's mental tampering. Link would spend nights without sleeping at all. He would sit up in his bed, and stare at the mask all night, for fear it may try something while he was asleep. There were nights he would take the mask out to the stable and bury it under the hay and when he awoke the following morning, the mask was in his room again.  
  
     Link decided to seek help and sought out Rauru the trusted sage of light. Getting clearance into the castle wasn't a problem. Link thought about taking a detour to see the princess, but thought it best not to disturb her, seeing as her royal life was a twenty-four/seven profession. Link knew the mask was the prime concern. He made his way to Rauru's chambers in the top of one of the castle turrets, much like Princess Zelda's chambers. Rauru's study reminded him of the old astronomer's observatory near Clock town in Termina field. The ceiling was very high and the walls seemed to be built out of books, for there were few places on the wall that were bare with brick. Rauru had several tables spread out across the large floor, each of which, had stacks of books, strange gadgets, and bubbling flasks. Rauru was a sage, but he was also an intellectual, and tutor to the Princess. The entire circular floor of the vast room was painted to be a star chart, and Rauru stood over a section of the floor scrutinizing in deep thought.  
  
     "…Has been there for eons, and now it moved….at that trajectory….."  
  
     "R-Rauru?" asked Link timidly.  
  
     "Oh! Link! What a surprise! Forgive me for not seeing you; I shouldn't be so concerned with stars. What brings you to my study lad?"  
  
     "I…I thought it wise to seek your wisdom."  
  
     "Oh? Regarding what?"  
  
     "Well…" Link wasn't sure where to begin. So much had been bothering him lately: the dreams, the mask, and a small part of him just wanted to ask if Zelda had said anything about him lately. "Have you ever heard of a place called Termina?" Rauru's eyes slowly shifted in thought away from Link.  
  
     "Yes…I recall the name yes." Link proceeded to tell the tale of his journey through the land of Termina, about the happy mask salesman, the strange children and their love of masks, his battle with Majora's mask, and finally the fierce deity mask. "'Happy mask salesman', was that really his name?" Link shrugged.  
  
     "Hm. I dunno, it must be. He didn't really tell me his name."  
  
     "Odd. Now this mask you speak of, the 'fierce deity mask'; you claim it is possessed of evil power like the mask you defeated?"  
  
     "Yeah…no…you see, this mask is far more evil and its power is greater still."  
  
     "And you think it's causing your bad dreams?" Link nodded. "I would like to see this mask myself."  
  
     "Well I brought it with me."  
  
     "Wonderful. Smart lad, you think ahead." Link pulled the mask out of a small sack he had tied around his belt. Rauru held the mask out and examined its face. "Hmm. Interesting war paint, it looks almost tribal. I think I may have seen this before, or something like it; but I will need time to research it. Do you mind if I keep the mask for a while?"  
  
     "Please, keep it as long as you want it." said Link with angst as he scowled at the mask. Rauru smiled.  
  
     "Ah yes, the dreams. They do more than just keep you awake at night don't they?" Link responded with a gloomy nod. "It's an interesting dream in deed. The way you described it…" Rauru became lost in thought once again as he stared at the mask.  
  
     "Um, I know this is kinda' straight forward and all, but, what does it mean?" Link hesitated to ask the question since Rauru had no time to contemplate it, but Link's heart was troubled and he sorely needed answers. Rauru looked up from the mask at Link and paused, then put the mask on the table.  
  
     "Well, you mentioned three candles, that were giving off much more light and comfort than they should have. That is no doubt symbolic of power, a triforce of power if you will."  
  
     "The triforce?!"  
  
     "Possibly. Or it could be foreshadowing a triangle of people who have tremendous power together. There were only three people present in your dream if I recall. The guards were gone."  
  
     "Well there was only two, Zelda and myself."  
  
     "But she was wearing the mask, and the mask was controlling her, I'd say that counts as a third entity."  
  
     "So why did the candles blow out?"  
  
     "Well the candles blew out as Zelda faced you correct?" Link nodded. "And as Zelda faced you, you finally became aware of her union with the mask's power. It may be a warning that there will be a union between two of the three powers of the triangle; and that union will be far more powerful than the original triforce itself."  
  
     "You mean, Zelda's going to wear the mask?"  
  
     "Link, I do not know. I do not even know if the three of you are the triforce that is symbolized in the dream."  
  
     "Well, why is…Zelda…" Link felt very uncomfortable asking the question. But Rauru knew of Link's deep feelings for the princess and was able to guess what Link was after.  
  
     "Why is she the focus of the dream? I cannot say. Perhaps, if what you say about this mask is true, it is the mask using your…desires to try and advertise itself to you." It didn't exactly make Link feel great, but at least he had some sort of insight on what it all meant. He still had so much he needed answered, but didn't know where to begin, or even know what needed answered. All he could do was look at the floor. Rauru looked up from the book he was flipping through, and felt compassion on the young adventurer. Link had been through so much during his life, and he rarely asked for anything and the one time he needed help, Rauru was unable to deliver, and that burdened Rauru's heart, and it filled him with determination to solve Link's problem; though it would take time. "Link…" said Rauru as he looked up from the book. "Why don't you go visit the princess for a few hours? The flowers on the trees in the royal courtyard have blossomed and she has said that they made her think of you." Link looked up with surprise, his face was beaming with glee. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you took a stroll through the courtyard with her." Rauru smiled as he watched Link jog out the door. 


	2. Chapter Two: Stop to Smell the Roses

Link hadn't been this happy in a long time. He made his way to the hallway that led down to Zelda's room. The hallway was brightly lit and the faithful royal guards stood at their posts. Link smiled with comfort. He felt like he had been spending too much time there because he walked down this corridor every night in his dream. Each guard nodded to Link as he made his way down the hallway. In real life, the hallway wasn't nearly as long. But like his dream, he heard the sound of Zelda humming her lullaby to herself and it made Link walk that much faster. Both of the large double doors were wide open and the whole room was lit bright with sunlight. Zelda was on the other side of her room, sitting on a stool, in front of a large mirror, brushing her hair. She saw Link standing in the doorway and turned around with a chirpy demeanor to greet him.  
  
     "Hello Link!" It felt so reliving to hear her speak again, he had heard her under the corrupt influence of the fierce deity mask for far too long.  
  
     "H-Hello, Zelda." said Link as he blushed and bowed.  
  
     "Oh, come now, you don't have to do that, we're like family." Link was too flushed for words. "I was just getting ready to go meet with father for dinner, he has a very dignified guest of honor tonight, the King of Calatia, King Heuaris, and his son Prince Zensha. Father says he has a magnificent surprise for me tonight." said Zelda with a hint of un enthusiasm. Link looked down to the floor in disappointment as he realized she was once again too busy to spend time with him, though he tried not to let disappointment show, Zelda could see it anyway. "I can't imagine how he could possibly top this surprise, though." Link looked up to see Zelda smiling at him with affectionate eyes, and then a huge smile cut right across his face from ear to ear, despite how hard he tried to hold it back, and he blushed the deepest crimson hue yet. He looked to the floor embarrassed, and realizing he was doing a horrible job of covering it up all he could do was chuckle.  
  
     "Heh." Link's chagrin caused Zelda's smile to widen beyond her control as well. She enjoyed seeing him happy. She had always felt that she owed him a debt that could never be repaid for what he did in the imprisoning war. She then turned to finish brushing her hair so Link could take a few moments to recollect himself.  
  
     "So why are you here?" Zelda asked as she looked at Link in the mirror.  
  
     "Oh, I-uh…I came to see Rauru about…uh, something." The last thing Link wanted to do was spoil the reunion with the lament of his troubles, or give Zelda something to worry about such as her appearance in his nightmare.  
  
     "Something?" Zelda continued to brush her hair smiling though she could tell he was hiding something.  
  
     "Yeah, its nothing just, some, boring stuff really." Link said as he shrugged and made waving gestures with his hand. Zelda decided not to pry, she respected and trusted Link and knew that if it was anything she needed to know, he would tell her when he was ready.  
  
     "Hmm! Sounds interesting!" said Zelda as she put down her brush and moved her stool away from the mirror. When she looked away from the mirror, Link took the brief moment to quietly smack himself in the head while he silently cursed himself for his stupidity. He was finished with his self- rebuke just in time to look up and greet Zelda's eyes with a smile and calm composure. But his smile faded and his demeanor shrank as he remembered Zelda's appointment.  
  
     "Well uh, since your busy and all, I-I guess I'll uh, leave you alone then." said Link as he turned to leave and tried to hide his disappointment by readjusting his sword and shield roughly to make a loud clacking sound. Zelda's heart jumped paces a bit as she thought furiously for something she could say to get Link to stay. As Link turned, Zelda quietly smacked herself in the head while she silently cursed herself for telling him she had to go to a banquet.  
  
     "Ohhh…" moaned Zelda in a feminine tone that doesn't normally suit her, "Do you really have to go? I was hoping you would walk with me down to the courtyard" Link turned in confusion, to see Zelda giving him the sappiest "puppy dog eyes" he had ever seen. Yet somehow their effect on Link was full force, and he melted.  
  
     "I…thought you had to go to supper. Uh,…big surprise?" Zelda made a waving motion with her hand and shrugged.  
  
     "No, no, that's not for at least three-uh, four hours." said Zelda  
  
     "Oh! Okay!" Link's spirits brightened up quickly as he held out his arm for Zelda to take. She took his arm and smiled at him with the same affectionate eyes she had used earlier. Link couldn't even remember that he had been having bad dreams for the past month. He smiled a bashful smile and led Zelda out of her room. "Y'know, I saw the trees in the courtyard have blossomed." Link's one tried and true strategy has always been to hide his excitement behind casual small talk. Zelda knew full well that the trees were in blossom; she had been waking up early just to go sit out in the courtyard and see the flowers open at sunrise.  
  
     "Are they really? Wonderful! I can't wait to see!" Zelda humored Link's nervous attempts to sound interesting as the couple made their way through the castle.  
  
     When they reached the courtyard, the sun was beginning to set and Zelda was immediately captivated. She has always been one to appreciate the natural beauty of her proud country, a beauty she thanks Link for everyday.  
  
     "I'm always so cooped up in the castle I never get to see the sunset much anymore." said Zelda as she and Link sat down on a brick wall atop the large hill of the courtyard. At the bottom of the hill lied the castle gates and beyond that, Hyrule court. They could see the whole kingdom. Zelda leaned forward and tucked her knees into her chest as she watched the sun go down. Link leaned back and propped himself up with his elbows. "Isn't it wonderful?"  
  
     "Yeah." The beauty of nature was something he took for granted. His quests during the imprisoning war and even more so in Termina, he had seen countless sunrises and sunsets, all behind different breathtaking foregrounds. "You'd love watching it set over the ocean. The sky looks like it's divided and one half is dark with stars and the other half is lit up like day light and the water sparkles like a million rupees. Then once the sun finally vanishes behind the water, the sky suddenly glows a bright orange, like it catches on fire, then it fades to a red and after that the other half of the sky bleeds over and snuffs out the red." Zelda listened as he described, what sounded to her like the setting to the end of a fairytale told by one of her nannies, with a very indifferent attitude.  
  
     "You've seen this?" she turned to see if he would look her in the eye to confirm it. Link shrugged.  
  
     "Sure, lots of times." Link's eyes looked almost bored. Zelda smiled with a disgusted disbelief.  
  
     "Sometimes I envy you Link." she said as she shook her head and returned her focus to the sunset at hand.  
  
     "Why?"  
  
     "You get to see the whole world. You've probably met everyone in Hyrule. What kind of Princess am I if I haven't even met my people or seen my kingdom?"  
  
     "A busy one." quipped Link as they simultaneously turned their gaze from the sunset to each other. They paused for a moment with a blank stare and Zelda began to snicker. Link couldn't help but laugh too even though he didn't know what was so funny. "Heh heh heh. What? Heh heh." Zelda was laughing so hard at this point she was gasping for breath.  
  
     "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! It's true! It's true! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! SNORT" Zelda quickly stopped laughing and cupped both hands around her mouth in embarrassment. There was but a short pause before Link fell onto his back laughing hysterically. Zelda blushed and chuckled at her own embarrassing sound. Link was courteous enough to cut his laughter short so as not to make Zelda feel uncomfortable.  
  
     "Ah, I wish we could have more moments like these." said Zelda as she pondered at the now twilight sky.  
  
     "Yeah me too" said Link as pondered at the lovely Zelda's eyes. Zelda then suddenly turned to Link, startling him.  
  
     "I wish you would reconsider living here at the castle. Everyone adores you here." Link turned his gaze from Zelda to the ground as he sat up and sighed.  
  
     "There is no place for me here Zelda…there's no place for me…anywhere." said Link as he stared straight ahead, lost in thought while casually casting small stones in front of him. Zelda felt directly responsible for the half-truth that Link spoke. She asked him to fight her battle for her in the imprisoning war and he obeyed her without question, not knowing that he would have to awaken his only friend as a sage and lose his place in his home among the kokiri. Zelda tried to make up for it by letting him relive the seven years he lost during the war, but the gracious gesture turned out to be an unintentional punishment. Link had seven years to float around from place to place, seven years to be shunned by those he risked his life for, seven years to see all the places he rescued, but no place for him among them. Zelda also knew that Link was still loyal to her, and that he respected her as a princess, and as a warrior; she knew all he wanted was to be with her and she could not meet this simple request, it grieved her heart to see him so.  
  
     Link snapped back into reality and tried to change the topic towards a much more pleasant direction. "Well, that's not important." said Link as he stood up. Zelda watched him get up and her gaze was one of concern.  
  
     "Yes it is, Link. It's very important." Zelda's voice was quiet, as if she was holding back tears. "You don't deserve that Link. Your place is everywhere; you've done so much for this country…" the Princess didn't blink as her eyes began to tear, eyes that cut into Link's soul. "You've done so much for me…" Zelda realized she was letting her feelings show and looked away from Link but it was too late, the tears were already rolling down her cheeks, even though she wasn't actually weeping. "Damn it…" she muddled to herself for not catching it in time.  
  
     "I did what I had to do, Princess. It's not your fault. I was supposed to be the 'Hero of Time' so I had to fight. You couldn't have changed anything anymore than I could've." Links voice was calm and rational. It made Zelda feel better even though her conscious told her that it wasn't. "And this is just the way things worked out." Zelda smiled at Link as he stood firm and confident almost luminescent in the moonlight, she was reminded of his defiant presence before Ganon.  
  
     "Heh, you've always been stronger than me, Link. And you refuse to feel sorry for yourself. You know, there were times that even I doubted that Hyrule would survive; Ganondorf's influence was far to great. But then I would look at you. No matter how bleak things got for you, you just kept going and wouldn't stop, and you didn't even know what you were fighting for half the time. But you never questioned it either. You're a great man Link, I'm just sorry no one gave you what you deserved." Link listened to Zelda pour out her heart and was actually a little disappointed, the words he was listening for were "I love you" but what he heard still made him feel good. He didn't want the night to end but he could tell that more than three hours had passed and felt it was his duty to see that Princess made it to her appointment.  
  
     "It's getting late." said Link as Zelda's gaze broke and she realized she was late for the banquet.  
  
     "OH! Goodness! You're right!" before Zelda could make a movement to stand Link already had his hand there for her to use. "Um…thank you" she said as she felt Link's strength pull her from the ground ever so delicately she couldn't help but blush, but Link couldn't see it in the moonlight. "Would you like to come to dinner with me? I'm positive father wouldn't mind having the chef set an extra place for you at the table, in fact I think he'd love it!" Dinner with the Princess was a tempting offer but Link wouldn't feel right intruding on business like that.  
  
     "Actually, I need to go see Rauru right now" said Link as he squinted up at the turret where Rauru was. He saw a light burning away and figured Rauru was still working. "But thanks anyway." said Link. "Where is it? I'll walk you there." said Link as he held out his arm as he did earlier in Zelda's room. Zelda smiled and graciously gave a small curtsey as she took hold of Link's arm.  
  
     "Thank you kind sir." flirted Zelda. Link escorted her to the outer hall of the dinning room. Outside the dinning room as Link was fumbling through another goodbye, the Princess acted on a whim and decided to kiss Link on the cheek. Link froze and had no idea what to do. Zelda wasn't quite sure what to do either, she didn't take the time to think it through, and what was intended as a playful tease ended up being a very awkward and uncomfortable parting. Both felt that something needed to be said at that moment but neither knew what it was, so they parted ways without smiles, only concerned looks on their faces. As Zelda slipped through the doors and Link turned to find Rauru's study, both replayed the kiss over and over again, and each came to the conclusion that the awkward parting was their own fault. And each blamed themselves for something they "should have" or "shouldn't have" done. 


	3. Chapter Three: Charantanatah

     "Well that was stupid." Link said to himself while he traveled up the long winding staircase to Rauru's study. "I should have kissed her back. I should have smiled. I should have at least said 'good bye'." Link drearily pushed open the door to Rauru's study. Rauru was intently looking through his telescope.  
  
     "Link, Please! You can worry about your courting troubles later!" said Rauru as he hastily scurried over to a book and began flipping through the pages.  
  
     "You heard that?" said Link, as he turned red.  
  
     "There is a much bigger problem at hand here." Link suddenly forgot his troubles as he realized Rauru could only be talking about the fierce deity mask.  
  
     "Is it the mask?" asked Link in quieter, serious tone. Rauru looked up from his book at Link with grave eyes, and that told Link everything he needed to know.  
  
     "I've been researching the mask as you asked me too…"  
  
     "It's alive isn't it?" Link jumped in.  
  
     "That part is obvious." said Rauru in a slightly curt tone. He then sighed and looked at the mask on the table. "You were wise to bring it to me, Link. I did some research on Termina and learned that masks are the staples of the society. Every federal position, every ritual ceremony, every festive tradition, involves the wearing or exchanging of masks. However masks and magic go hand in hand. So masks are also used as weapons, and as punishment." Link was already aware of most of these facts. He was able to figure out that masks were important in Termina through all the people he helped that rewarded him with masks.  
  
     "Punishment?"  
  
     "Yes, much like the mask of Majora, it was possessed of evil power because someone put it there. And the fierce deity mask is no different. You see this is more than simply an enchanted mask, Link. It is a prison." The words hit Link like a rolling goron who was in a big hurry. "I referenced the war paint on the mask with a book that catalogs all the known gods that have ever lived. The war paint is that found in a tribe of warrior gods that battled each other for eons before the land of Termina ever took form. The gods' battle prevented life from being created and the land from being cultivatable. There were nine gods who battled each other for supremacy of the tribe. The war eventually came to an end however when the four elemental giants you spoke of appeared and stopped the war."  
  
     "So they could cultivate the land and create life?"  
  
     "No. They interfered because one of the gods, Charantanatah, was beginning to gain an upper hand in the struggle and came close to winning the war. If one of the gods were to establish supremacy and gain control of the other eight, catastrophe would befall the world. They would be a force not even the elemental giants could combat. And they probably would have found their way into Hyrule."  
  
     "Okay, so the giants stopped the fight, then what?"  
  
     "Well the giants decided that warring gods were too dangerous and destroyed them all. However Charantanatah was too powerful for even the giants to overcome, so they sealed him in a mask, to imprison him for all eternity. The mask was designed to serve as a reminder of all that is evil in the world." Link looked down at the mask.  
  
     "Why is it giving me these dreams then?" Rauru crossed his arms raised an eyebrow in thought.  
  
     "All can think of is that Charantanatah needs someone to wear the mask so he can have a door to enter the world again. But there is something else. The time frame was very significant. You see, Charantanatah was gathering power through a celestial phenomenon."  
  
     "Celestial phenomenon." Link was having trouble following along.  
  
     "Alright, how can I explain this? There was a star that resided in another galaxy, but it suddenly began to move collecting power as it traveled along. And Charantanatah was the only warrior of his tribe who had mastered the art of celestial magic. So as he sensed this phenomenon and began to lure the star towards the planet, and the closer it got, the stronger he got."  
  
     "I understand."  
  
     "This event happened a millennium ago. And now it has happened again." Links heart sank into his stomach. "Somehow, over his years of imprisonment he has managed to gather enough strength to pull the star towards our planet once again. He is drawing strength from it, allowing him to become somewhat active from the mask. Which is why I think he has begun to poison your dreams. If he gets you to wear the mask, he'll have a vessel to fight with again."  
  
     "But, how? I've worn the mask before and I was in complete control of his power."  
  
     "He is stronger now. He may be able to take control of you." Link felt so relieved that he knew what was happening. Even though the truths that Rauru spoke spelled disaster, Link almost preferred it that way, because he knew how to handle a crisis like that.  
  
     "So…" said Link as he unsheathed his gilded sword. "Should we destroy it?"  
  
     "No! Absolutely not! If we destroy the mask, it will only free him from his prison. That would be like uncorking a plague and watching it ravage all of Hyrule."  
  
     "So what do we do?"  
  
     "An excellent question. I will have to consult with the other sages. If he continues to gain strength, I fear drastic measures may have to be taken."  
  
     "I see."  
  
     "I'm glad this mask ended up in your hands Link. If it had fallen into the wrong hands…" Rauru feared any of the words that could come at the end of that sentence.  
  
     "Well what about in the meantime?"  
  
     "I will keep the mask. I will keep it in a safe place until I figure out what to do with it."  
  
     "Ah, thank you." said Link with much relief. Rauru smiled.  
  
     "Yes, go home and get some sleep, you deserve it."  
  
     "You got it."  
  
  


	4. Chapter Four: Guess Who's Coming to Dinn...

"Ugh. Ruaru always tells me to think. And what did I do? 'One little peck on the cheek' I shouldn't have done that, that's the last time I listen to myself." Zelda chastised herself silently as she made her way up the stairs to the main table where her father and his guests were waiting for her. After her standard formal greetings she sat down.  
  
     "Zelda, I do trust you understand that when I say 'two hours past moon rise' I don't mean whenever you feel like it." scolded Zelda's father the King with a firm raised eye brow.  
  
     "Forgive me father, I'll see it will not happen again."  
  
     "Good. Now I trust you remember King Heuaris." Heuaris sat smug with a spoon in his mouth that he was lightly nibbling on and gave a un enthusiastic smile and lifted his pinky towards the Princess to "wave".  
  
     "Of course I do. Your majesty." Zelda gave a formal curtsey. She didn't really remember King Heuaris the last time she visited Calatia with her father and older brothers, was before the imprisoning war. The King of Calatia and the King of Hyrule had a "blood pact" of sorts. All of Hyrule's princes were wed to Calatia's princesses through arranged marriages. This would ensure the too kingdoms would always remain allies as long as the too royal families were linked by blood.  
  
     "Now then, I know you have never met his only son Zensha. Zelda, Prince Zensha of Calatia, Zensha, meet Princess Zelda of Hyrule." Zensha stood and bowed to Zelda with intense eyes that seemed to burn right into her mind and soul and touch everything that was there, which made her feel very uncomfortable, almost violated. She couldn't wait for the evening to be over with, the sooner she was away from the spooky prince the better.  
  
     During the meal, in which the two Kings engaged in small talk about the old days Prince Zensha continued to glare at the princess and wouldn't take his eyes away from her for anything. It cost Zelda her appetite, she wished Link was there. Zelda's father brought up some business. "Very good. Now then Zelda, you are no doubt wondering as too why I asked you to join us this evening."  
  
     "I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to two old men prattle on eh?" joked the ill-humored King Heuaris.  
  
     "Alright, Alright. King Heuaris and I have been in negotiations the past few months, and I felt as my daughter you should be told of my decisions first before I announce them to the people."  
  
     "Al-Alright." Zelda was beginning to feel a bad premonition.  
  
     "You see, the economy of Hyrule has become somewhat slow since the imprisoning war ended."  
  
     "Father, the economy is just as strong as it's ever been, what do you mean?"  
  
     "Heh, heh, nothing worse than a woman with an opinion eh old boy?" King Heuaris, slightly drunk held up his glass towards Zelda's father and then tipped it all the way back and drank the rest of it's contents with a single gulp. Zelda was offended by the King's remark, yet her father did nothing to remedy it.  
  
     "On the contrary, most of the court's revenues have come, this year, solely from taxes alone. And frankly my dear, something must be done." Zelda sipped from her glass and shrugged as she put it down.  
  
     "So it was a bad fiscal year, we've had them before,-" but before she could finish, her father cut her off.  
  
     "Exactly my point Zelda, exactly. We have had them before, and too often. I've met with the official revenue advisors and we've concluded that the source of the problem is the Hyrule market. People just aren't buying goods anymore. And the reason is the goods themselves. There simply is no demand for them anymore."  
  
     "Then we find goods that people do want."  
  
     "Ooo, she's sharp as a sword that one. Ha ha ha ha ha!" bellowed the un welcome King Heuaris. Once again Zelda's father conceded to Heuaris' rudeness and simply rolled his eyes. It was bad enough Zelda had to fend for herself against the obnoxious Heuaris but she had to do it while under constant attack from Zensha's intruding stare.  
  
     "That's half of what Heuaris and I have been discussing. You see, Hyrule's main trade is with the Gorons and the Zora, and the goods they have to offer are just not in demand anymore. Therefore, I have decided to break all trade with the Gorons and Zora, effective one month from now."  
  
     "What?! You can't be serious father!"  
  
     "I am dead serious Zelda. We are going to open trade with the Calatians."  
  
     "We can't trade with Calatians! They live across the Hylian sea."  
  
     "Which is what I have been discussing with King Heuaris here. We have decided to sign the Hylian/Calatian Military Trade Alliance. Hyrule and Calatia will work together to establish a trade route through which we will trade goods, workers. Calatians will come to open businesses fronts on Hylian soil and vice versa."  
  
     "Well it is a sound plan, but what of the Gorons and the Zora, and the kokiri? And the guerdo? What about them? What will become of them if they have no one to trade with? And what of the alliance between the Hylians and these races? If we break trade, and thus communication with them, will that not be breaking the peace treaty we share with these people?" The King leaned back in his chair for a moment to plot out his answers.  
  
     "Yes Zelda, the peace treaty will be broken. Which is why Calatia has agreed to supply us with military support in the inevitable event of a war. The Gorons and Zora do not have to war with us however, and we will still prefer a peaceful coexistence. But in the event of expanded civilization, they will eventually refuse to surrender their land to progress, and it deeply pains me to see old friends become enemies, but we cannot sacrifice progress for useless traditions of the old ways. And as far as the kokiri is concerned, they're nothing more than a myth. They've never been seen. Therefore it will be alright to use the kokiri forest as lumber for ships, since nothing lives there." Zelda cupped her mouth with her hands and slowly leaned back in her chair. She was horrified at what she heard. Her heart was broken. Ever since the imprisoning war ended her father had become a greedy man. And now he casually spoke of eliminating races that trusted and depended on him for support, all for the purpose of profit. "Zelda please don't take it as a bad thing. You see we-" Zelda immediately stood up and held her hand up to signal her father's silence.  
  
     "Stop. I don't want to hear anymore of this."  
  
     "But you need too. There is more and it concerns you directly." Zelda slowly sank back into her chair and braced herself. She knew what she was going to hear was in someway going to ruin her life." As part of such an extreme pact we've decided that just a signature and seal will not do. Therefore we have decided to use the blood pact system."  
  
     "…But all of my brothers are married."  
  
     "True. Which is why I feel that amidst the topic of change, and expansion, we should change old habits and expand them to fit modern needs." The King stood up and flashed a large smile. He held up his cup in the same manner King Heuaris had earlier and said "This is a truly joyous occasion indeed. Zelda, my daughter, I have arranged for you to be married to Zensha, prince of Calatia!" The words hit Zelda like fiery arrows. She turned to Zensha in horror as the suave, cocky prince from Calatia smiled a very serpentine smile. Zelda stomped to her feet in protest.  
  
     "Absolutely not! I refuse to hand over my life to be used to seal a deal of a corrupt quest for profit!" Zelda shouted with anger. There were so many factors that fueled her fury: the betrayal of the neighboring races, her father's unquenchable greed and disregard for anyone, including his only daughter. The fact that he would just decide who her eternal mate will be without her consent enraged her.  
  
     "Now, now Zelda, I happen to know that Zensha is a fine young man. He will take excellent care of you. He can provide lavish comforts, possibly better than I can and the best protection."  
  
     "Is that all that matters to you anymore? Material things and money? What about love? Companionship, loyalty, courage, things that last longer than rupees. That's what's important. I don't know this person and I honestly do not want to."  
  
     "Come now my dear, let us not speak so hastily to those we will spend our lives with, you may say something you'll regret." the sound of Zensha's voice made Zelda's skin crawl.  
  
     "I doubt that." hissed the princess as she scowled at the perverted prince. The King then stood to his feet.  
  
     "That is quite enough young lady! I'll have no more of these childish outbursts. You are to be wed to Zensha and that is final!" Thundered the king.  
  
     "It's all right your majesty…" tittered Zensha, "…Pretty young ladies such as herself are often so absorbed in themselves to think anyone is worthy of them. After a night with me I'm positive she'll see things differently." Zelda grabbed her drink, leaned across the table and splashed it on the prince.  
  
     "Cool off!" The prince immediately stood up whimpering and mourning over his wet clothes.  
  
     "Oh! You…You dirty little bitch! How dare you?! How dare you?! You will respect your husband! I'll make sure! I'll make you sleep in rags woman! This vest is rare spotted Zora skin! It cost me one hundred silver rupees!" Zelda was abhorred that the man had a living breathing being killed for a vest.  
  
     "Zelda!" The King screamed at the top of his lungs. "Enough! You will treat our guests with respect! Now apologize to the prince immediately!! This is no way to start a marriage young lady!!"  
  
     "No! I refuse! I'll have no part in this barbarism! "  
  
     "Hold your tongue daughter! This is not barbarism! This is progress! It is business!!"  
  
     "It is madness! You're talking about tearing apart the country! And you want to use me to confirm it! You don't care if I'm happy! This person is detestable! I'd soon rather lie with swine than bed with him!"  
  
     "You will be part of this! You will be wed! My decision is final!"  
  
     "Then you may as well have simply sentenced me to the dungeons! The cruelty would be no different!" scorned the Princess. The King was taken aback by his daughter's harsh words. Never had she spoken to him so, especially in front of guests. "You're a horrible King! You don't care about your people at all!" Zelda shouted at a vision of her father that was blurred with tears. She couldn't help but think of the gorons , and the Zora without a place to live, and the kokiri who, to leave the forest, meant death; they would be extinct. She thought of the sages. Each of which came from one of the races. Zelda adored Saria, the sage of the forest.. Princess Ruto, sage of water, was one of Zelda's close friends. They were both about the same age and were both princesses, they could always turn to one another for support. She thought of Big Brother Darunia, no matter how grumpy he looked, he always had something nice to say. All these people who trusted the King would be betrayed for money, and she had no choice but to be the catalyst of the tragedy. "You don't even care about me." The King was appalled but he was so blinded by greed he could not see that what she said was true. Zelda thought of losing her chance to love someone, by being not much more than a slave to the cocky, skinny little prince; she would serve one purpose only, and it made her nauseous.  
  
     Then she thought of Link. After that, the tears finally broke free from her eyes and she fled the room crying. All three watched silently as left. Zelda's father slowly sank back down into his chair with the look of shock still stricken across his face. The drunken King Heuaris sat and watched the whole ordeal with a drunken smile and after a few moments of silent contemplation, belched:  
  
     "I'd say that went rather well. Wouldn't you? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha BURP!"  
  
     Zelda ran down the hall as fast as she could. She ran blindly while crying, as though she was trying to escape the terror that loomed over her. She ran aimlessly. She didn't know where she was going or what she could do. Then, as she rounded a corner, she ran head first into Link, who was just leaving from Rauru's study.  
  
     "Whulf!" Zelda had a full steam head build up of speed that knocked the wind out Link. He never saw it coming. Zelda didn't know who she ran into, but she immediately tried to stop crying and apologize.  
  
     "*SNIFF* Excuse me I-I-" she finally wiped away enough tears to make out who she hit.  
  
     "Zelda?" when she saw Link she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed hard. Which didn't feel to good as he was still winded, and the unprovoked hug made his eyes bulge.  
  
     "Link! It's awful! Father! Calatia! It's horrible!" Zelda wept and her babble didn't make any sense to Link. He pulled her off of his chest and tried to calm her down so he could get some words out of her.  
  
     "Zelda! Calm down! Tell me what's happening!" Link's calm voice soothed Zelda's panicked spirit and she took a few deep breaths and preceded to tell Link of the treachery her father was planning.  
  
     "It's my father. He's going to betray the kingdom."  
  
     "Betray the kingdom? What are you talking about?"  
  
     "He's going to break trade with the neighboring races. The gorons, the zora, the kokiri, all of them! He's going to break trade with them and have them removed from their land so he can open trade with Calatia!" Link's look of compassion contorted to a look of shock and disbelief.  
  
     "Your not serious." said Link in his hushed serious voice. Zelda started crying again because it was so horrible even Link wouldn't believe her, and yet it was true  
  
     "Yes I am!" she shouted, "I'm dead serious! Father is going to…is going to…"she was hysterical and couldn't finish. Link pulled her close and held her to still her shaking. He felt like his world had been turned upside down. What Zelda spoke of was impossible. He fought so hard to protect the races from Ganondorf. He knew the King. It was the same man that showered Link with praise after the imprisoning war, the man that held a week long celebration that lasted into the hours of the mornings in his honor, and demanded that all races were present to celebrate their freedom. He was a man that didn't care about money, only about people. "We have to do something Link, we have to." Zelda couldn't bear to tell Link of her arranged marriage to Prince Zensha. It already broke her heart, and she didn't want to spread the pain.  
  
     "There's nothing we can do now." said Link. "I can come back tomorrow and see the King, maybe you didn't get all the facts." Zelda scowled as she remembered all her father had told her.  
  
     "Oh yes I did."  
  
     "Well, uh, come on, let me walk you to your room, you've obviously had a pretty bad night." Link walked silently with Zelda for about a minute when they came upon the hallway leading to her bedroom. Link stopped cold at the end of the hallway.  
  
     "What's wrong?" asked Zelda as she looked at Links unprovoked look of concern. His eyes narrowed and shifted quickly back and forth at the walls.  
  
     "Where are the guards?" asked Link in a very hushed tone. Zelda responded sarcastically.  
  
     "Father probably has all the guards combing the castle searching for me. I wouldn't worry about it." But Link was worried, very worried. The corridor was long and dimly lit, as if one lone candle was lit in the whole castle. The ever-present honor guards were mysteriously absent. It was exactly like Links dream. Only this time, the Princess was with him and he had his sword. He reached back and put his hand on the hilt and kept it there, ready to draw it on absolutely no notice. He then took Zelda's hand and proceeded cautiously down the corridor. This frightened Zelda. She trusted Link's judgment, and if he was worried of danger, she was worried. So she walked behind him for protection. "Wh-whats' wrong?" she asked.  
  
     "I gotta really bad feeling." he whispered. Finally they reached her room. Outside the window, all of Hyrule was bathed in a cool blanket of white moonlight. Three candles raged above Zelda's bed, just like his dream. His pulse began to quicken. The tension coming from Link was so thick Zelda could feel it. And it worried her. Link looked back and forth several times, scanning every detail. Then he looked down on her bed and saw a piece of wood. "What's that?" whispered Link so low Zelda could barely hear him. Zelda took a few steps forward.  
  
     "It looks like a mask…" Link immediately drew his sword and pulled his shield. His movements were lightning fast, coupled with the loud sound of metal on metal; Zelda was startled. She saw Link with a look of cornered panic. He was sweating profusely and he even began to slightly bounce in his battle stance a little bit. Zelda couldn't understand what would provoke Link like that, seeing as how he's always so calm headed under crisis. But she didn't even see a crisis or opponent of any kind. It looked like Link was losing his mind. Zelda reached for the mask to see what was so dangerous when behind her she was startled by Link's thunderous voice.  
  
     "Don't touch it!" he screamed such a deep scream Zelda was almost afraid of him, she had never seen him so ferocious before. Link slowly approached the mask with the wily glare of a madman. He kept his sword in front of him and used the tip of it to flip the mask over and see what it was. "…That's not it." It wasn't the fierce deity mask, like he feared. After seeing the mask, his face relaxed, as did the rest of his body and he put his sword and shield up and began to rub his face with relief.  
  
     "What? What's not it?" Link wouldn't answer her. Zelda walked over to the mask and picked it up to look at it. "It's a wedding mask Link."  
  
     "Oh, that's all." after a moment he realized what she had said and became overly flushed and nervous. "Oh! A wedding, uh, m-mask." Zelda looked at him in confusion. He was behaving strangely to her, even for Link. She held it up to examine it and a piece of paper fell from it that she didn't see. Link picked it up and decided it was okay to read it, seeing as how Zelda didn't know anything about the mask either:  
  
     To my beloved Princess Zelda,  
  
    Please my sweet. Forgive what has transgressed this night. Words I spoke were out of anger and haste that reflect not the feelings of my heart and soul. You are the reason I was born. I was born to love you, to make love to you. I understand that you feel as though you were robbed of your choice. But I implore you to give me another chance. I know if you were to let me love you, for just the shortest time, you would see that you would have made the choice yourself. I promise I can give you all you need. And I promise to give you all you want. No matter the cost, and no matter the exhaust. You will never have to work for anything again; all I'll provide is everything all I'll withhold from you is nothing. Here in your bedroom, I saw our future, this is where our lives will begin, the only way they can. Please share my vision with me. And I promise to share my soul.  
  
     Your one true destiny,  
  
     Prince Zensha  
  
       
  
     Link's heart took a blow so heavy he doubted the possibility of recovery. All had ever hoped for, all he had ever dreamed of, now seemed like a distant dream. The keystone of Link's life had been shattered. And with the news of the Kings wicked treachery at hand it seemed like reality had shifted. He felt like he was still in a nightmare, just a different one. But despite Link's silent prayers, he didn't wake up. It was really happening. His hand began too shake and he watched it shake with disbelief. He had never felt these feelings before and he didn't know how to handle them. He wasn't scared, so that didn't explain it. Zelda looked up from the mask to see Link watching in awe as his hand trembled. He then reached up with his other hand and clamped down on it and his expression changed to one of pain.  
  
     "Link what's wrong?" Link looked up startled and dropped the note. Seeing the princess' eyes caused him only further pain. He felt that by looking at this woman, who was promised to another man, that he was doing something wrong. He felt like he didn't belong. And he reacted accordingly as he slowly shook his head as Zelda approached him.  
  
     Zelda couldn't understand why Link was all of the sudden afraid of her.  
  
     "Oh there you are." a voice from behind them said. Link whipped around and squinted in the dim light. Prince Zensha glared at Link with annoyance. He then put one hand on his hip and gave a cock-eyed smile and said, "My Zelda, I didn't know you liked to share. But you see I only share with other women love. So unless you have some debutantes handy, tell the homeless guy to leave." Zelda squinted at the Prince recognizing the slimy voice, but it took her a moment to place the face. "Like what I've done? It's a very sensual lighting pattern don't you agree?" Zelda's eyes widened as she realized it was the prince she dreaded more than anyone.  
  
     "Zensha!" she said. Link knew the name from the love letter. Seeing him in the Zelda's room, he knew what Zensha had come for. His eyes widened with fear and he felt moisture collecting in them. Link didn't know what to do so he did what he normally did in battle when he wasn't sure of his chances of coming out alive, he ran. "Link, tell him to –Hey!" she shouted as Link bolted out the door as fast as he could. He pushed Prince Zensha out of his way on the way out sending him against the wall with a loud thud. "Where are you going?" Zelda tried to run after him but she was wearing her evening dress and shoes, so she would never catch him.  
  
     "Well don't take it so hard. Jerk." said the smug prince as he brushed himself off. "So, I see you got my note…"  
  
     "The note!" said Zelda as she ran backwards just as Zensha was about to put his arms around her, leaving him squeezing air. She picked it up. "After he read this he was terrified of me, what could…" she stopped as she read the note. At first her look was one of disgust, but then she put a hand over her mouth as she finished the note. She then looked up "Oh no…" she said and turned to walk after Link only to walk right into Prince Zensha.  
  
     "So he can't handle rejection, trust me lover, the peasant is the least of our worries…" The prince tried to seduce her and slowly reached a hand to her face to softly stroke her skin. Zelda watched his hand slowly rise and then it stopped right before it touched her face, then she looked at Zensha, who looked at her and raised an eyebrow to the princess. Zelda stared blankly for a moment, then she punched the Prince right in the mouth sending him careening to the floor. Then she started walk after Link in a hurried pace.  
  
     "Oh please, please Link, don't do anything rash…" 


	5. Chapter Five: To Hide a Broken Heart

Link charged blindly down the corridors of the castle. Much like Princess Zelda had done earlier, Link had no destination. He felt he like he was trying to run away from what felt like his failure. Link was gritting his teeth, tears were rolling off his cheeks as he tried in vain to wipe them away. He thought of them as a nuisance. He felt worthless. He couldn't escape his failure no matter how hard he ran. The pain was too great. He couldn't believe it made him cry. Though he wasn't really crying, yet there were tears, his body was simply going through the motions of crying. He had felt pain plenty of times, great pain. He had fallen off of cliffs, been scorched by fire breathing Dodongos, had bombs blow up in front of him; he had been clobbered by Ganon himself, he had been whipped like a prisoner by Majora's wrath, and he had fallen off of Epona plenty of times. All of which were painful experiences, but he never shed a tear. Now he was shedding more water than the song of storms and he couldn't feel anything wrong with himself. But at the same time he felt like he was going to die, it hurt so bad. He thought back to the times he spent with Princess Zelda and tried to figure out where he went wrong. He tried to figure out why he couldn't make her love him. He had tried so hard, but he failed.  
  
     "I have to make it up to her, somehow, I have to show her I'm not that bad." Link tried to reason to himself and figure out what he could do to make her notice him. Then it hit him. He had to fix the problem with her father. "The King…" he said as he took off for the dinning room. As he got closer to the door of the dinning hall, he didn't slow down, instead he sped up and rammed the door wide open, knocking a worker who was next to the door unconscious. He scanned the room but no one was there save for a few servants cleaning up the table. Link sneered and turned and ran out of the room back into the dark hallway. The more Link pushed back the need to cry, the more energy he was turning into anger. He was becoming very angry. And he ran even faster. "The Throne room…" said Link as he turned around and bolted towards the throne room.  
  
     As Link approached the throne room, the guards outside the door interpreted Link's speed as threatening and ordered him to halt. Normally Link would never disobey the guards and would do whatever they told him to do, even if he didn't need too. But Link was too angry, his thoughts were a hazy blur, he couldn't think rationally so he simply charged the guards ramming them through the door to the throne room. The throne room was filled with five or six guards, but no King. All the soldiers drew their swords when they saw the commotion, and then saw Link and became confused. "Link! What's the matter? Is there anything we can do to help?"  
  
     "Where is he?" shouted Link in a deep angry and quite intimidating tone. The guards were taken aback. Link had always been so quiet, humble and bashful, they had never seen him lose his temper before and figured that whoever angered him that bad deserved whatever he had coming.  
  
     "Where is who Link?"  
  
     "The King!" roared Link in a volume that made them all lean backwards. "Where is he?" The guards became concerned. If Link, in his rage was after the King, they realized they had to keep Link from reaching the King at all costs.  
  
     "What do you want to see the King for Link? It's late."  
  
     "Tell me where he is!"  
  
     "Why don't you go home Link."  
  
     "Yeah, calm down Link"  
  
     "If you don't tell me where he is I'll…" Link stopped with a look of fear on his face as he heard what he was saying.  
  
     "Link?" His expression returned to one of anger again.  
  
     "Then I'll find him myself." and Link turned to leave and the guards advanced after Link.  
  
     "Link stop!"  
  
     "Stay away from the King"  
  
     "That's an order!" Link proceeded to leave without paying them any mind at all. So the guards charged Link swords drawn. But much to their surprise Link turned towards them and fought back. He drew his sword and shield and leapt into the midst of the soldiers, who were unable to fight, because they were virtually paralyzed, for they would never have expected Link to resist. They all respected Link and would never want to hurt him. But Link just didn't seem to care anymore. He was looking at the soldiers like they were Stalfoses.  
  
     Link threw a deku nut to the ground blinding the soldiers and then with precision kicks and shoves Link had all the soldiers on the ground without spilling a drop of blood. He then took off out the door down the hall towards the Kings quarters. However Link's shouting and the sounds of battle alerted the other soldiers of the castle to a threat, and the King placed his elite royal guard outside his bedchambers. The King listened as outside his door he could hear the sounds of battle drawing closer to his door. Link was fighting his way through numerous soldiers when suddenly they all backed off. Link shrugged and powered on ahead until he got to the Kings chambers. He skidded to a halt as before him two large, heavily armored guards with extremely heavy axes stood in front of the Kings door. Link was cautious, but they were similar in size to Iron Knuckle, and Link new how to handle one or two of those.  
  
     "Get out of my way!" shouted Link with the same volume and intimidation that he used on the guards in the throne room. The guards remained motionless like statues. "I said Get out of my way!" shouted Link a little louder as he slowly advanced. Finally one of them spoke up.  
  
     "What business have you with the King?" thundered the mammoth man.  
  
     "I would like to request an audience with him." growled Link through gritted teeth.  
  
     "The King will see no one. Be off!"  
  
     "Last chance, get out of my way right now. I would have words with the King."  
  
     "I said be off!" and with that Link bull headedly charged the guard only to bounce off the sturdy man and fall backwards. He almost welcomed physical pain, it helped him keep his mind off the pain he felt in his heart. The two guards both screamed deafening screams as they swung their mighty axes. Link leapt clear and landed with a somersault. As the guards slowly stomped after Link, Link leapt right between them, and began cutting away madly with his trusty gilded sword. Link managed to cut a whole piece of armor away from each soldier before he had to duck and roll out of the way again. Link needed the spar; he had a severe level of aggressive energy that he needed to burn off. But, he was driven by the desire to win Zelda's heart, so by then he had already lost his taste for the fight. So Link employed a strategy he developed against the Iron Knuckles he battled in the dessert colossus. Link sheathed his sword and put up his shield and then confidently strode in between them and stood there. Both guards began to swing at Link while he stood there facing straight ahead with his arms crossed. He would duck here and jump there, dodging the two slow but powerful axes. All the while as the two soldiers missed Link, they would hit each other and ultimately stripped each other of all armor, straight down to their mails. After looking at each other and seeing that each other was nearly naked, they then looked down at themselves and finally understood what Link was up too. They each then looked at Link, who finally averted his gaze from straight ahead to the soldier on his left. Link glared at the soldier with the same look of boredom he had been using. He paused for a moment, and then punched the guard in the head, denting the helmet, and whipped around with a back fist to the head of the other soldier, disabling them both. Rupees spilled out all over the floor but Link wasn't concerned with money. He just walked forward to the Kings door and kicked it wide open.  
  
     Inside the King waited in fear of whoever was fighting so ferociously to find him. As the door flew open, he recoiled in terror, but then saw only Link and was filled with relief. "Oh! It's you Link! Have you stopped whoever it was who was trying to kill me." Link stared at the king with the same lifeless, bored look of annoyance he had through his battle with the royal elite guard.  
  
     "No one is trying to kill you sir" growled Link. "I just want to talk to you."  
  
     "That was you fighting my guards? But, why Link, I don't understand."  
  
     "Princess Zelda told me you were going to break trade with the neighboring races!" barked Link as his expression changed to one of anger again. The King jumped back in his bed against the backboard.  
  
     "Well, yes I-I"  
  
     "Why?!" shouted Link who was becoming angrier by the second.  
  
     "Well progress, that's why" stuttered the King was extremely frightened by Links sudden change of heart.  
  
     "Progress?! What are you talking about?"  
  
     "Well, I plan to open trade lines with our neighboring Kingdom of Calatia. They will branch out to our soils and bring businesses and goods that the Hylian people will desire. Civilization will expand from the economic boom that will result. And the neighboring races will have to either compromise or move, I'm afraid."  
  
     "You cant do that"  
  
     "Well, I suppose you have an alternative plan then?" Link's expression faded from one of anger to one of thought, and from that to one of sorrow, as he looked to the floor, in shame, the King sat up in his bed and glared at Link with an angry look. Link was ashamed. In his blind rage of pain he hadn't thought of one. And he had ruined all chances he had of acquiring an audience with the King in the daytime, when he could talk about the problem calmly and work together with the King to rationalize a plan that would work for all the races. As he realized he had failed yet again, the other guards of the castle finally caught up to him and grabbed him and began to subdue him in a very painful manner. Even though Link had not hurt any one save for more than a bruise or too. As the guards stood over Link and beat him on the floor of Kings bedroom, the King did nothing but watch in anger, and slight satisfaction.  
  
     The guards dragged Link, bleeding out of the castle. By now a bad storm had stirred up, the rain was pouring down and the ground was extremely muddy. The lightning and thunder ruled the sky as the ground trembled beneath their fury. The wind whipped hard at times, pushing the rain to a pelting speed. The strange change in the weather was much like his dream, though at the moment Link couldn't focus on something like that. The guards threw Link into the mud disgracefully and returned into the castle. Link, aching and bleeding struggled to reach his feet. He stood up for a few seconds, wobbled from his wounds and fell back into the mud again. Link sat up in the mud and looked up through the rain at the castle, namely Princess Zelda's room. He didn't see any lights on and figured the princess was busy entertaining Prince Zensha. He looked down to the mud again and realized that this where he belonged. He thought of Princess Zelda and all the times he spent with her and how he'll never be allowed to go near her again. The more bad things he thought of the closer he came to crying again. Only this time, he didn't fight it. He loved the Princess and he would never even have the chance to tell her. He cursed himself for being so stupid. And slowly struggled to stand once again. Clutching his arm he slowly limped through the mud while quietly sobbing to himself.  
  
     "Why so sad?" a voice startled him and he looked around frantically but saw no one. He dismissed the voice and continued to limp. "You made a mistake didn't you?" the voice asked. Link turned around but through the rain and tears he couldn't see much.  
  
     "Who-who's there?!" he shouted angrily.  
  
     "Don't you think you deserve another chance?" Link paused to think. He did want another chance. He wished he had his ocarina with him so he could go backwards in time again and stop tonight from ever happening. "Don't you think the Princess should give you another chance?" Link's eyes widened.  
  
     "Who are you?!" he shouted at the darkness. Whoever it was, he saw everything Link did, and seemed to know what Link was thinking. "Is it you, old wise one?" Link thought it was the wise old owl that guided him on his journey as a boy.  
  
     "I saw the way they treated you. It wasn't right Link."  
  
     "No…It-it can't be…" once the voice said his name, he finally recognized what it was.  
  
       
  
       
  
       
  
     Meanwhile in the castle, Zelda was tracing Link's apparent path of destruction. Upon interrogating the bewildered guards in the throne room, she learned that Link was "very urgently" seeking the king. Zelda stopped and set her head in her hand for a moment. She felt horrible. Not just about what had transpired with her father, but for Link. It had been a bad night for both of them. Zelda recollected herself and set off to her father's bedroom. When she got there she saw the two elite royal guards being helped back on to their feet. She recoiled in amazement. "Oh, Link. What have you done?" she wondered to herself as she slowly walked through the large double doors, one of which bore a foot imprint. Her father was being tended too by servants. "Father! What happened?"  
  
     "Oh Zelda, thank goodness your safe!" said the king as he held out his arms to her.  
  
     "What happened here?" she asked as she honored her father's wishes for a hug.  
  
     "It's Link! He's gone mad! Zelda pulled away from her father's grasp.  
  
     "What?!"  
  
     "He's been fighting the guards! He intruded on me here in my own castle! My own room!" Zelda could only listen in shock.  
  
     "He attacked my elite guards, and defeated them! Then he broke in here and tried to attack me!"  
  
     "No! It can't be! Link would never attack you, whether he wanted to or not! You were unarmed!"  
  
     "I know that. Which is why he threatened me with his bare hands!" Zelda gasped and jumped backwards while placing a hand over her heart.  
  
     "He-he what?"  
  
     "He was shouting about the neighboring races, and then he started breaking things and throwing things, and he threatened to strangle me! Thankfully my guards surprised him and with heavy injury managed to force him out of the castle!" Zelda looked around the room and everything was in perfect order, save for the footprint on the door.  
  
     "Nothing seems to be broken. And none of the guards are hurt, anywhere. Link didn't draw blood from anyone." countered Zelda as she eyed the King.  
  
     "Oh no?" asked the King as he pointed to the floor at Link's blood. "I told you, it was quite a struggle but…" Zelda swallowed her heart into her stomach. She didn't know that it was Link's blood, yet she had no proof otherwise. She could only believe that reading the love letter from prince Zensha had pushed him over the edge.  
  
     "Oh no…" she moaned in despair. "It's my fault…"  
  
     "What in the name of the triforce happened in here?" Zelda and the King looked around to see Rauru standing in the doorway.  
  
     "Rauru!" they said simultaneously.  
  
     "Your majesty! What happened?"  
  
     "Tis a sad day Rauru, Link has become a renegade." lamented the King.  
  
     "Father!" shouted Zelda in anger and she turned to Rauru. "Don't listen to him Rauru, it isn't true! Link isn't bad…he's just…lost." said the princess as she looked to the floor in shame. Rauru, slowly leaned back in surprise.  
  
     "Link? That's impossible! I just spoke with Link half an hour ago. He was in fine spirits."  
  
     "You did?!" asked the King in surprise.  
  
     "In fact, that's what I needed to talk to you about sire. In fact, more so with you Princess." said Rauru.  
  
     "What? You knew of his treachery?" asked the King suspiciously  
  
     "Father!" shouted Zelda  
  
     "I knew of no treachery sire. Link had come to me earlier today bearing a burden of dreams. It was caused by an evil artifact that he had acquired on his journeys. Link asked me to interpret the dream and he also presented me with the cause of the problem. A mask."  
  
     "A mask…" Zelda thought to herself "That would explain why he was acting so strange around the wedding mask earlier…"  
  
     "So this mask is the cause of his madness?" asked the king.  
  
     "Link was possessed of no madness when I spoke with him sir."  
  
     "Then of what concern is the mask to us?"  
  
     "Well, I discovered that the mask was actually the prison of a fierce deity called Charantanatah. This imprisoned warrior god is gathering strength from a celestial phenomenon deep in the cosmos and is becoming stronger everyday. If we do not stop him, he will eventually gather enough power to escape from the mask, and that would mean the end of the world."  
  
     "So Link has brought a curse upon us. Damn that forest boy! I knew he was a bad seed." Zelda turned to her father horrified that he would ever say something like that about Link. Rauru, straightened up as well, and gave the King a stern look.  
  
     "I do not think that was Link's intention sire." he then turned to the princess. "I would like to speak with you more on the matter as well princess, when the other sages are present." Zelda curtseyed in respect.  
  
     "Of course sir. But right now I have to find Link. Father where is he?"  
  
     "I told you Zelda, he was driven from the castle."  
  
     "Oh no, I have to try and find him."  
  
     "But Zelda! It's the middle of the night! There is a horrible storm raging! Link could very well try to assault you outside the castle without protection!"  
  
     "Link would never hurt me!" she shouted from down the hall.  
  
     "That girl will never learn. Now then Rauru, this mask, it bears power then?"  
  
     "Extreme power sir. I fear what would happen should it fall in the wrong hands." Rauru reached into his robe to pull out the mask and show it too the king. "What?! What is this?! Where is the mask?!" The mask was gone.  
  
     "Perhaps Link has stolen the mask." suggested the King.  
  
     "That is inconceivable. Link abhors the vile thing. He would have begged me to keep it if I didn't offer to take it off his hands. Besides, after Link gave me the mask, I hid on my person and came straight here!" Rauru suddenly looked up with a start. "Unless…" Rauru turned towards the doorway, towards the outside of the castle with a look of terror. "No…"  
  
     Zelda hurried down the stairs of the castle into the main hall. There she passed by a group of soldiers who were just returning from outside. They were laughing amongst themselves about how weak the fabled "hero of time" really was.  
  
     "You there soldier!" she shouted. The soldiers immediately, sloppily, stood at attention. "Have you seen Link?" she asked? The lead soldier spoke up.  
  
     "Uh, Aye ma'am! He' just out there." the guard pointed to the castle doors. "Just beyond the gates."  
  
     "Is he angry?" The guards looked at each other and began to chuckle.  
  
     "Well if he was you couldn't tell."  
  
     "That guy doesn't put up much of a fight."  
  
     "He may throw his teeth at you though." and all the guards roared in laughter. Zelda turned and ran as best she could to the door, when she heard a voice from behind her.  
  
     "Zelda! Zelda wait!" she turned to see Rauru hurrying down the stairs.  
  
       
  
       
  
       
  
     Meanwhile outside in the rain, Link glared into the darkness, as he gave up and plopped back down into the mud.  
  
     "Where are you…Charantanatah?" Link asked quietly with disgust.  
  
     "So you know who I am at last hmm?" asked the voice. "Tell me, why do you detest me so? I'm alive just like you are."  
  
     "Unfortunately…" said Link  
  
     "Take a good look at me and tell me what you fear!" said the mask as it flew out of the darkness and hovered before Link, just within his reach. Link recoiled slightly as if someone had put a bad egg in front of his face and asked him to smell it. The sight of a floating mask, didn't scare Link like it should. He slightly chuckled to himself when he realized it. He thought himself a freak, since he could say that he had "seen this before". "You find yourself freakish. Why?" asked the mask.  
  
     "I'm not exactly…normal, I guess."  
  
     "How so?"  
  
     "…I dunno, I've seen a floating, talking mask before. I guess that's pretty odd." snapped Link.  
  
     "Is it odd? Or is it just odd to your Princess?" Link looked up at the mask angrily. "The princess is far to important to concern herself with the matters of young adventurers such as yourself. The most amazing thing she has ever seen is a rare orange rupee. Hardly thrilling to you, who has no doubt seen many amazing things."  
  
     "The princess cares about more than money!" shouted Link in defense of the Princess. "She loves sunsets! She loves her people!"  
  
     "Except you apparently." Link looked back down at the mud.  
  
     "She cares about people. Not money." Link quietly repeated.  
  
    "Is that why she even now is giving herself to the snobbish prince who wears the skin of a person on his chest for fashion? The skin of a Zora? You read the note Link, and you saw the wedding mask, you know very well what the Princess cares about. And you cant give it to her." said the mask as it circled around him. Link continued to stare at the mud. "You've done so much for her Link. You've done so much for so many people. You fought to save Termina, a land you never knew existed, just as hard as you fought to save your homeland. But you fought to save her didn't you?" Link looked up at the mask because he knew what the mask was talking about. "You didn't care whether or not the triforce was lost. She was all you cared about." Link looked once again back at the mud, in despair. The mask knew the very workings of his soul. How it knew, Link didn't know. "You've done so much and this is the way they repay you. I saw what they did, as I see the state you are in. It isn't right Link." The mask seemed to speak with compassion on Link. Link squinted at the mask. His mind and heart were in shambles, and now it seemed, that a mask of evil, was the only thing that spoke of compassion to Link.  
  
     "What do you want?" asked an annoyed Link as he half heartedly tried to get up.  
  
     "I don't want anything, except to help you." Link stopped and slouched back down again.  
  
     "Help me? You, want to help me?" Link didn't understand what the mask was talking about. It was supposed to be an evil mask with great power, seeking only a worthy challenge, not concerning itself with the problems of an insignificant person. "Why do you care what happens to me?"  
  
     "Because we have been one before. I knew your heart, soul and mind. As I do now. And I don't like to see part of myself being stepped on like this." Link began to believe the crafty mask. So far, this mask was the only one who bothered to reach out to him.  
  
     "You don't?"  
  
     "Of course not." said the mask softly as it neared Link. "I'm not really bad like that old man says I am. I can't unleash any power. I'm trapped in this mask. But what I can do is give my power. I can give it to you, and you can use it to make the princess see you. She will respect you. And she will desire you." Link squinted at the mask in disbelief.  
  
    "Go on…"  
  
       
  
       
  
     Meanwhile just inside the castle walls, Rauru was telling the princess of what had happened.  
  
     "Gone? Just like that? Are you sure?" asked the princess who was spooked at the thought of a mask floating around the castle somewhere.  
  
     "Yes. It's gone. And I think I know where it is. It's gone after Link. It has to have gone after Link. Link is a strong warrior, and adventurer. If the mask were to use its power through Link's powerful skills as his vessel, there wouldn't be a warrior who could touch him. He would be invincible. His form would be perfected, his speed would surpass the stars, his strength would baffle the mind, and the power he would have at his disposal…" once again Rauru scared himself to bad to finish the sentence.  
  
     "Well Link was thrown out of the castle…he read this…"she handed the note to Rauru. He read the note and his brow furrowed and he looked up at the princess. "After he read that, prince Zensha showed up and Link took off on a rampage…"  
  
     "This is very bad, Zelda. His heart is broken, and he'll do anything to hide it. It explains his unprovoked rage. We must find him before the mask does."  
  
     "You don't think he would…" Zelda couldn't contemplate the meaning of the rest of her sentence.  
  
     "Young emotions are the most wild and uncontrollable part of nature. If he were acting on his emotions without thinking, I wouldn't be surprised by anything he could do. Feelings only make sense to the person that experiences them; they do not work with the mind. Link is capable of anything right now Zelda. Anything." Zelda stared ahead with wide eyes. She then took off her shoes and ran outside barefoot through the mud. She could barely see anything in the rain as she ran as fast as she could, all the while screaming Links name.  
  
     Zelda ran until she saw, some twenty yards in the distance, a figure sitting on it's knees in the mud. Zelda couldn't see that well through the rain, but knew that Link was the only one who would have any reason to be sitting in the mud like that. She called out to him, but he couldn't hear her over the thunder. She approached Link squinting trying to see him better. He looked like he was hunching over, like he was crying, but as she got closer, she saw he was holding something. She called to him again, but there was still too much commotion from the storm for her to be heard. Then she saw he was hunched over a mask, that he held mere inches from his face. Zelda's heart almost jumped out her chest as she screamed at the top of her lungs and tried to dash forward, but she fell down in the mud.  
  
     "LINK!! NOOOOOO!!!" but it was too late, Link donned the fierce deity mask. The second it touched his face Link lurched backwards screaming in pain. A bolt of lightning struck his face and continued to electrocute him. Link hunched over like he was praying as he screamed. Then he held his hands up to the sky screaming and there was a crash of thunder and a blinding flash of light. After the light faded, a new figure sat in the mud, in a much more powerful posture. This figure had battle armor on its torso. It held a sword that was a big as he was, which had to large strands of metal that wrapped around each other, and he hefted it with one hand, like it was weightless. It had Links green cap. He sat in the rain, resting, catching his breath. Zelda slowly, timidly, approached the backside of the figure. "L-Link?" asked Zelda in a soft tone. The figure looked over his shoulder and glared at Zelda with white, glowing eyes.  
  
     "Not anymore." He said as he stood up and swung his sword to the sky and screamed the mighty cry of a warrior. Lightning crashed and thunder roared, as if the world was answering him. He was now fierce deity Link. Zelda fell backwards into the mud, and watched him revel in his power. She feared for her life. Link stopped to examine his body, he was taller, and his muscles were larger he marveled at what he had become. "Ahh…Yes. Yes! At last!" Zelda was frozen in fear, she couldn't even scream. Fierce deity Link looked up from his bicep to see Zelda cowering before him. "I really must thank you Princess Zelda" he said as he gave an evil smile and a mock bow.  
  
     "W-why?"  
  
     "If you hadn't played with Link's heart the way you did, I never would have been able to trick that pathetic fool!" Zelda's eyes widened. Charantanatah just directly blamed her for making Link vulnerable. Even though Zelda knew that she didn't purposely play with his heart, she knew his heart had always been in her hands and so it was her responsibility. And she failed him. She blamed herself as well. "Even I with my mind games, and nightmares, could never have done the kind of damage you did! Well done! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!" Zelda's eyes welled up with tears faster than they ever have. She felt like she had just watched Link die. She began to weep.  
  
     "Link…I'm so sorry…forgive me please!! Forgive me!" Fierce deity Link then clasped his hands together, a beam of light came down from the heavens engulfing him, and when the light disappeared, he was gone. All that was left of Link was his sword and shield. "…Please…please…I'm sorry…" 


	6. Chapter Six: A New Hero, A New Quest

Zelda didn't sleep at all that night. She sat up in her room all night crying. She didn't once think about the horrible deeds that her father was conspiring. All she heard was fierce deity Link's words over and over again. She looked at herself in the mirror and was disgusted by what she saw. "How could you…" she said to herself "How could you be so careless? How could you be so selfish? He loved you!! He trusted you! And you let that happen to him!! You're the monster! Not Link! You!!!" Zelda then turned away from the mirror and fell on her bed crying.  
  
     The next morning, her servants fetched her for breakfast, and, understandably, she wasn't too cheerful. She looked out the window and saw that the sky was dark with thick black clouds everywhere, as far as the eye could see. Even when Ganondorf ruled Hyrule, it wasn't this bad. Zelda was like a zombie with out a will. Her hair was tousled. She didn't eat anything. There was much commotion in the castle that morning people were running back and forth like the castle was getting ready for a festival and a war all at the same time. The King was having breakfast with his military advisors and Rauru, discussing defense plans against Link. No one bothered to notice the princess, who was an emotional mess. She needed someone's help. But she was shunned as plans were made to destroy Link. Zelda understood how Link felt the previous night when no one would help him mend his aching heart. And that just made her feel worse.  
  
     Reports were coming in of a man with a large sword standing on the highest place in Hyrule field, overlooking the rest of it. The reports say he appeared there last night and had been standing there ever since, like he was waiting for something. The description and time of appearance matched Link perfectly.  
  
    Zelda withdrew from the chaos to the solitude of her room. She sat and thought for a long time. She was still beating herself up over being the one responsible for Link's fate. She was the one he wanted to turn too. But she ended up being the one who caused him to turn in the first place. She had no idea about the dreams he was suffering from. She didn't learn of them until Rauru described them to her. She didn't know why he didn't just tell her about them. She couldn't believe that he never told her his feelings either. "If he really was in love with, me, why couldn't he just tell me? What was he afraid I was going to do? Laugh at him? I would never. In fact, I would almost like him to have told me that. It would have made me so happy." Zelda wished Link was there with her so she could ask him all her questions and find out why he was hiding all that he was hiding. She thought back to all the times she had the opportunity to ask him but never did. She kicked herself for her foolishness.  
  
     She tried to forget about it, but it was impossible. Link had taken over all her thoughts. The guilt tormented her soul. Desperate for help, she went to Rauru. She found him in her father's bedchambers going over all the data he had on Charantanatah. She requested an audience with Rauru. Rauru, figuring she wanted to discuss the fierce deity mask, excused himself from the meeting. Zelda took him out to the garden, because no one was there.  
  
     "What are we doing out here?" asked Rauru  
  
     "I need to talk to you about something." asked Zelda who was looking over Rauru's shoulder to make sure no one was coming.  
  
     "Charantanatah?"  
  
     "No. It's about Link." Rauru gave a look of disdain and tried to turn and leave.  
  
     "Zelda, this is no time to talk about Link! Whatever he has become is what is important!"  
  
     "No Please! Humor me for but a few minutes please!" Rauru reluctantly stayed and listened.  
  
     "Did Link ever…say anything about me?" Rauru's look of annoyance contorted to a more severe level. "Did he ever mention his feelings…about me?" Zelda was uncomfortable asking the questions.  
  
     "No. He never did." Zelda looked down with confusion.  
  
     "Did he ever-" Rauru held up his hand to silence the nervous princess.  
  
     "I know what your asking Zelda. But it's too late now to wonder if the crisis could have been averted. I doubt it's your fault."  
  
     "But it is my fault Rauru! Purely my fault! No one else is to blame except me!"  
  
     "What happened last night may have had something to do with you indirectly, but what it all amounted too was bad timing. The love letter, the planned marriage, Prince Zensha's interloping, the trickery of Charantanatah…it all came together at the wrong time and looked worse than it really was."  
  
     "But it is my fault! You don't understand! Link was my responsibility! His feelings, his heart, all were my responsibility and when he needed me the most, I failed him! I told you about it last night; fierce deity Link said it himself that it was my fault." Rauru put his hands on her shoulders to try and calm her down.  
  
    "Rubbish child. Don't you dare believe a word that trickster told you. What he said was an over exaggeration! I have no doubt that everything he told Link was a lie, or half-truth; the mask tricked him. He made his own choice to put on the mask, and it was a mistake. Link is not a bad man. He is a great man! A great man who did a bad thing, you must understand that he made a mistake and now he's in trouble; he needs our help." Rauru's words seemed sweet and were what Zelda needed to hear, but she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt.  
  
     "Okay, Rauru what if you're right? Why do I still feel so guilty? So personally responsible, for Link?"  
  
     "I don't know child. Could it be because your 'feelings' of responsibility are more than just responsibility?"  
  
     "What?"  
  
     "I must get back to the King Zelda. Think about my words. And above all, search your heart. Sometimes it isn't always as straightforward with you as you think it is." And with that Ruaru quickly left. Zelda was left to think about what he meant.  
  
     "'More than responsibility…whatever did he mean? That they were feelings of duty?" Zelda couldn't make any sense out of what she heard regarding her feelings towards Link. But one thing Rauru said stuck in her mind and made her think: "He's in trouble and he needs our help." Zelda hadn't bothered to think that putting on the mask meant he wasn't beyond redemption. Zelda needed to be sure if Link could still be helped. As her father made plans to destroy fierce deity Link, she sneaked off on horseback, alone to go speak with him to see if she could still find Link behind the mask.  
  
       
  
       
  
       
  
     Zelda approached Link from the rear. She got off horseback some ninety yards away and decided to walk the rest of the way. Fierce deity Link stood facing the south, overlooking all of Hyrule field. The clouds were dark, and lightning tickled the lost woods and the gerudo valley in the far distance. Fierce deity Link faced straight ahead with a look of stern focus, his arms rested powerfully on his sword that was propped up in front of him. The blade touched the ground and his hands rested on the end of the hilt, one hand on top of the other. His pose was proper, calm, yet intimidating; it demanded awe. He had been standing that way ever since the previous night. He seemed to be waiting for something. As Zelda got within two to three yards distance, she was terrified and walked very slowly towards him, afraid to speak. So fierce deity Link spoke first.  
  
     "What are you doing here?" His voice startled the princess causing her to gasp loudly. He asked the question without moving even his eyes; his voice was one of calm disdain. Cleary, the fierce deity Link was too busy too be concerned with the mortal woman.  
  
     "I-I came to speak with you…is-is that all right?" asked Zelda still standing behind him but very far out at an angle so, she could see his face.  
  
     "No." said fierce deity Link in the same calm demeanor without moving an inch. Zelda tried to feign confidence by raising her chin up and straightening her back and by not fidgeting her fingers, all in an attempt to make fierce deity Link take her seriously. He didn't.  
  
     "Oh?" she tried to ask confidently. "W-why not?" Fierce Deity Link turned to look at her. She immediately shrank back down and backed away several steps, in fear. Fierce Deity Link, not changing his posture, looked at her with disdain for a moment, and then looked back to his original point of focus.  
  
     "Why must you insist on annoying me woman? I've no concern for the likes of you." stated the fierce deity.  
  
     "Because, I-I want to talk to you, Link."  
  
     "I am not Link." he stated. "He is the vessel with which I live again."  
  
     "Well, why are you standing here?"  
  
     "I am waiting."  
  
     "F-for what?"  
  
     "For a challenge." His volume increased and his head, ever so slightly lowered, on 'challenge'. It caused Zelda to jump and gasp loudly again. She then put her hand on her chest and closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down.  
  
     "From who?" Fierce deity Link turned to look at her once again. And Zelda opened her eyes to see Link staring at her with the same look as before. She slowly recoiled as her face welled up with fear.  
  
     "Anyone who can give me one." he said and turned his head once again. Zelda waited for a shock of fear from his words to happen but it never did, then confused she said,  
  
     "You took over Link's body just so you can wait for someone to pick a fight with you? That's so stupid!"  
  
     "He feels the same way." commented the fierce deity. Zelda squinted at the deity, in curiosity. Just then, a nearby commotion caught their attention and they both turned to look. It was half the Hylian royal army, supplemented by several brigades of the Calatian militia that had accompanied King Heuaris to Hyrule. "What is this?" asked the deity with a fleck of curiosity in his voice. Zelda's heart skipped a beat.  
  
     "No father don't!" she thought aloud. Fierce deity Link, still unmoved from his pose, smiled an evil smile and said,  
  
     "Little boys shouldn't play with big toys…" the army was marching in unison and then came to a halt. Fierce deity Link's brow furrowed in anger as he waited to see what the army was planning. The army's leader raised his hand, and with it, the flag bearers raised their flags and the trumpet blowers raised their horns to their lips. The field leader paused for several tense moments, and then lowered his hand and the charge was sounded. The soldiers charged screaming with swords drawn. Fierce deity Link smiled. "Alright then…" he said as he finally broke his pose and lifted his giant blade up, swinging it over his head. "I accept your challenge!" He shouted with a smile. Zelda backed up in fear and braced herself for something horrible. Swinging his blade over his head, fierce deity Link finally brought the sword down in a large horizontal slash. The slash unleashed a giant disc of light energy that flew towards the charging troops. The disc's radius was fifty yards long. It flew right at the troops, while the fierce deity watched with tense excitement as the disc swept through the body of troops, cutting everything that lay in it's path in half. "Yesssss! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" cheered the fierce deity as he returned to his statuesque pose of patience and discipline. Zelda was terrified.  
  
     "You-You just killed all those men! With one blow you-you killed them all!" Zelda had never witnessed such awful carnage, not even under the reign of Ganondorf.  
  
     "You saw that too?" asked the fierce deity with sarcasm.  
  
     "Link would never do such a thing you monster! Do you hear me Charantanatah?" Zelda shouted. Upon hearing his name the fierce deity's pose broke and he turned to face Zelda's tearful eyes with confusion.  
  
     "How did you know that?" he asked.  
  
     "Because your not Link. You're the horrible monster that tricked him in a moment of weakness. And if he were here right now, he'd put his sword right through you for what you just did you butcher!"  
  
     "He is far too weak to do anything woman. If he weren't, he would have stopped me, but he didn't did he?" he taunted as he reclaimed his pose. Zelda looked at him unable to respond. Then she grinned and sniffed back some tears and said,  
  
     "No, but now I know you can be beaten…" Fierce deity Link turned around and looked at her with surprise. "Because now I know he's alive. And as long as he's alive, I have hope!" she said to the deity, for the first time with true confidence. This angered the fierce deity. He slowly turned around to resume his waiting posture.  
  
     "So after what you just saw me do, you still do not think of me as a force to be feared? Then perhaps I need to fight an opponent who has real power, then you will fear my power." Zelda's expression reverted back to one of concern because she knew the deity was not bluffing. "Let's ask your friend Link if he knows anyone…" he said as he closed his eyes. Zelda looked on, as her look of concern became a look of fear. She watched and waited, as he stood motionless with his eyes closed. The tension drove her near madness as she waited for him to seal her kingdoms fate. Suddenly he opened his eyes, "Why not Ganon?" Zelda's blood ran ice cold.  
  
     "N-no, please, I beg you. Leave Ganon be." Zelda begged with a hushed voice while more tears built up in her eyes. The fierce deity smiled.  
  
     "Link is protesting quite ferociously as well…you fear Ganon princess? Then I shall challenge him and destroy him and then this pathetic country will fear me. Lets ask where he is…" the fierce deity's smile faded to a look of anger. For a few seconds he stared in anger and then his expression changed to one of acceptance. "Link wont tell me where he is, how peculiar…" Zelda smiled and her eyes beamed with hope. The deity closed his eyes and concentrated for a few more seconds, and then smiled. "His will is strong. That I'll concede. It will only take a mere week before he gives in and I unlock the secrets of his soul. Then the great battle will begin. No doubt this pitiful world will be torn to pieces in the war…such a pity…" he said with casual indifference. Zelda wasted no time as she turned and ran for her horse.  
  
     Back in the castle Zelda sat in her room, looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes were full of tears as she neared weeping once more. However, just as she was beginning to cry, she stopped. The tears ran down her face but she looked at herself in revelation. Her expression then changed to one of determination. "No…" she growled to herself. "No more. I cry too much. No more crying…no more weakness…" she said as she slowly rose off of her stool. Her anger began to rise. "Even possessed by Charantanatah, Link's spirit is fighting. He's giving everything he has to protect us from the unleashing of Ganon!" she shouted at herself. "He needs my help! I can't just sit here and cry!" she screamed as she threw her stool into the large mirror, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Her royal honor guard came charging into the room with his sword drawn.  
  
     "M'lady! I heard shouting and a crash! Are you injured?" Zelda turned to the guard with very serious authority in her eyes and said,  
  
     "Summon Rauru, I would have words with him." The guard bowed and immediately left to fetch the sage of Light. Zelda turned to look at Link's trusty weapons she had lying on her bed.  
  
     Some tense moments later, Rauru approached Zelda's room. He opened the doors to see the Princess wearing the clothing of the sheikan warrior. He recoiled in disbelief.  
  
     "Zelda! What are you doing?" Zelda's eyes glanced up from adjusting her armbands to Rauru with a piercing strength that seemed to tell him everything he needed to know. "You can't be serious." he said.  
  
     "I am dead serious, Rauru" said the princess in a deep voice. "I've had it." she spewed. "I'm not going to sit around anymore. Link is in that, that, monster somewhere, and he needs me. I won't fail him again." Rauru crossed his arms with a stern look. "I didn't call you in here to stop me Rauru, I need your guidance." she said as she strapped on Link's sword and shield. Rauru, raised an eyebrow. Zelda stopped fussing with the stubborn strap and looked at him. "What?"  
  
     "I was right when I said youthful emotions can make a person do anything wasn't I?" Zelda stopped and looked at herself and then at her broken mirror, and then back to Rauru. She paused for a moment, and then continued to fuss with the sword strap. Rauru smiled and sighed. "I wont stop you Zelda, I cant."  
  
     "Thank you"  
  
     "But you must stop and ask yourself if you can do anything to help Link, and if there is anything that can be done, are you able to do it? I know your love is blinding you-" Zelda immediately stopped fidgeting with the shield and glared at Rauru with surprise at his bold statement. Rauru continued. "…But I also know your smart enough to not simply charge out there after that deity. Not after witnessing him slaughter an entire army with the swing of his sword." Zelda, still frozen, stared at Rauru for a while, looked out the window in the direction of fierce deity Link, and then continued trying to get Link's shield onto her back. Finally she said,  
  
     "That's what you're here for, to tell me what I'm supposed to do." she said. Rauru threw his hands in the air with a look that seemed to shout: "I'm open to suggestions" Zelda looked to the floor in thought. "Well, what about a ritual cleansing?" she asked as she looked up at Ruaru. Ruaru, arms crossed, furrowed his eyebrows in question. "Well, as a sage, we have the power to cleanse an artifact of evil and all power don't we?"  
  
     "Yes…" Ruaru's eyes shifted up in thought as he tried to follow the princess' logic.  
  
     "Well, what if we tried that? Together? Will it still work even though Link's wearing the mask?" Ruaru didn't move. He thought silently for a long time.  
  
     "Perhaps…but, it would require the combined effort of all the sages for it to even have a chance of working…" he explained. Zelda nodded. "…But there's no way we could all get close enough to him to perform the ceremony. He would wipe us out just by looking at us." Zelda sighed. "But then again…"he thought aloud. "It is the best suggestion anyone has offered so far." Zelda smiled.  
  
     "One more question." said Zelda in a very serious tone. "…What about…" Zelda looked around the room, afraid to meet Rauru's eyes with the question. "What about the Master Sword?" Ruaru's eyes widened.  
  
     "The Master Sword?!…What about it?" Ruaru eyed the princess with extreme suspicion.  
  
     "Would it, stand up to the fierce deity? It is the 'sword of evil's bane' so I wondered if…"  
  
     "Well, it was never forged to go up against a god but…I suppose it could in theory, but…" said Rauru as he scratched his chin. "Why would you want the Master Sword? It's sealed away in the temple of Time. You would have to recollect all the spiritual stones to open the door. And that alone would give fierce deity Link a way to reach Ganondorf…" Zelda squinted.  
  
     "How did you know about that?" Ruaru smiled.  
  
     "I know. That's all that's important." Zelda looked at the floor.  
  
     "Well…I'm just trying to think ahead to be ready for every possible situation. That's all."  
  
     "Just like I taught you, very good. But Link is the only one who was ever able to survive all the trials it took to win the Master Sword. And you wouldn't even know how to use the sword's power anyway, I wouldn't worry about the Master Sword if I were you." said Rauru. Zelda bowed to her teacher.  
  
     "Thank you for your advice Rauru, but I would like to try to get the Master Sword anyway." Zelda walked over to the window and started to climb out.  
  
     "Sneaking out?" asked Ruaru  
  
     "Father would never let me go. You can't tell him of my mission Ruaru, promise me."  
  
     "I do. But, where are you going?"  
  
     "Link's house." she shouted as she crawled down the wall of the turret.  
  
     "Do you know where that is?" shouted Ruaru out the window.  
  
     "No. But I know someone who does!" she shouted back.  
  
     When Zelda reached the bottom of the castle, she used the Sheikan stealth tactics taught to her by Impa, her nursemaid, to avoid detection by the guards. She made her way to the royal stable, where Link's trusted horse Epona was being kept. Epona would not cooperate with the princess. So Zelda pulled out a small flute and tried to remember the tune Link always played for Epona. She had heard it several times before. It took her fifteen minutes, but she finally got the song right. Epona whinnied in acceptance. Zelda rode Epona out the back of the castle, the same way she went to sneak out to speak with fierce deity Link. Once she was in Hyrule field, she brought Epona to a slow trot as she passed through the battlefield where the fallen army lay. She looked in horror at the carnage. Epona was uncomfortable too. Zelda surveyed the damage. At least three thousand troops were in the attack. No one survived. Zelda looked up and in the distance, saw fierce deity Link standing, and waiting. She furrowed her brow in concern, then clicked her heels at Epona and gave a strong "Yah!" She continued to play Epona's song for the horse in hopes that Epona would just go home. Zelda's strategy worked. Epona led her to a small cottage on the outskirts of the lost woods.  
  
     At first Zelda didn't think she had found Links home. She figured it to be too humble for the mighty hero of time. She hitched Epona to her stable and strapped on her feedbag, that oddly had no oats in it. After giving Epona some oats, Zelda sneaked into Link's house to investigate. It was a small cottage of one room. Against the wall to the left was Link's bed. To the right of the bed, in the corner, was a small chest. On the wall that was to the right of the bed, was a fireplace. Above the fireplace were various items hanging on the wall. Shields, gadgets, swords, and masks were neatly posted on the wall, making a sort of trophy wall. Against the wall on the right, was a small dresser with a mirror. Next to the dresser was another door that lead out to the stable. A small rug lay on the floor in the center of the room. Zelda felt a feeling of warmth that made her smile. Link never required much. It was a far cry from the way she was accustomed to living. She was used to vast rooms of stone and marble, not a tiny room of wood. She was used to elegant furnishings, not quaint little dressers and small rugs. She wished that she could have lived there. Though she would have none of the service or convenience of living in the castle, she felt that somehow living with Link would be more satisfying than anything the royal court could provide.  
  
     Zelda basked in the homeliness of Links habitat for a few more seconds before she remembered her mission. Zelda walked over to the dresser to investigate. She looked around the surface of the dresser. There was a comb, an even smaller chest, and an image. Zelda was taken aback by the image that seemed to float there. Then she remembered the strange contraption Link had shown her once before. He called it a "Pictograph" it would copy the essence of something and preserve it forever. She picked up the pictograph that was propped up by a home made wooden frame. It was a pictograph of her. Zelda felt a rush as her emotions escape unrestrained. The pictograph was of her from roughly two years ago. In it, she was reaching up and touching a flower that was on a tree in the courtyard. It was quite a breathtaking shot. Link snapped it and kept it and never told her about it. Zelda closed her eyes in remorse. She had no idea how much she was the center of Link's simple little world. And then she thought of how horrible it must have felt to read Zensha's pathetic note. She finally understood how severe the damage was to his heart. It literally brought his whole world crashing down. She then felt even more determined to help him. She put down the picture and opened the small chest. There was some money inside, only about thirty rupees worth, not very much. She searched through the drawers of the dresser. All she found were some spare tunics, each one made of different fabric, and of a different color. The bottom drawer was most peculiar however, for in it was ten or twelve of Link's caps, all green. Zelda then noticed how every time she saw him he was wearing one. She wondered what his obsession was with the cap.  
  
     She turned around and put her hands on her hips in frustration. "I know he has it…it has to be somewhere…" she said as she studied Link's "trophies". There were two very large and heavy swords on the wall, to heavy for Zelda to carry, one was of Goron craftsmanship, and the other had black roses etched into it. She saw a mask of a goron, a zora, and a deku scrub as well. She saw a small wooden shield on one side of the chimney, and on the other side was a larger shield, about the size of Link's choice Hylian knight shield that Zelda wore on her back, but this shield was much more solid, it had a thick gloss over it and was made of an extremely hard metal, a kind she had never seen before. It wasn't until she saw her reflection in it did she realize that it was the fabled "mirror shield"; the shield said to be strong enough to deflect the strongest of attacks, and even reflect magic back at the attacker. Zelda's eyes widened in awe as she thought about Link actually being able to recover this mythical shield. She saw a slingshot, a boomerang, and an archer's bow. She saw an odd shaped gadget, the tip of which looked like a harpoon. She picked it up and studied it. "I've seen this before, I've seen Link with this during the imprisoning war…what did he call it?" She started to play around with it. She pushed down on the trigger and felt it click. She pointed it too the floor as she tried to look at the back to see what she pushed. Then she let go of the trigger and it shot out at the floor with a loud boom. It struck the floor hard, nicking a chunk of wood off the floor as it ricocheted off and automatically retracted. Zelda looked at the gash in the floor with a worried look. "Whoops…" Then her eyes widened. "Oh, yeah, 'the hookshot!'" she said in a happy tone. "I may need this…" she said as she tucked it behind her shield. She didn't like rummaging through Link's house and taking his possessions without asking permission, but Link wasn't around to ask anymore. She promised herself that she was 'just borrowing it for a while'. But she still hadn't found what she was looking for. She turned around and saw the larger chest in the corner.  
  
     She opened up the chest to see a variety of things. There were a few bombs, some arrows, and three glowing rocks: one red, one blue, and one was yellow. There was a book that said "Bomber's Secret Notebook" "What's a 'bomber'?" she asked herself as he pushed the book aside. There was a shovel and a pick ax for various jobs Link had to do. There was a sharpening stone, and a journal. Zelda gasped when she found Link's journal. She picked it up and looked around wildly. "Ooo…do I dare?" Zelda wasn't thrilled about the invasion of privacy, she knew if someone found her diary she wouldn't want them to read it, but she couldn't help herself. If there was one thing that she and Ruto loved to do, it was gossip. And, it was part of her nature to be nosy, so Zelda cracked open the book and flipped through the pages, and then slammed the book shut. "No, I cant…I cant do it." Zelda used every ounce of will power she had to stop herself. She wouldn't let herself read the book, but she decided to take it with her to keep a little piece of Link close to her heart. She kept digging through the chest and found various tools and items, but she still hadn't found what she was looking for. She plopped down on Link's bed in despair and lay back on his pillow and stared at the ceiling.  
  
     "Now what? I've searched everywhere…I've done everything accept rip up the floorboards…I don't think Link would be too happy with me if I did that." sighed the Princess. She rolled over on her side since lying on the shield and sword was uncomfortable. And as the Princess likes to do, she stuck her arm under the pillow to keep it fluffed and from sliding out from under her head. She felt something cold under the pillow. "Huh? What's this?" Zelda felt around under the pillow and felt something cold and hard. She sat up and lifted the pillow and saw what she was looking for. "Yes!" she said as she picked it up. The Ocarina of Time glowed with magic as Zelda looked at it. "I haven't seen this in a long time. Now I have it: 'Link's legacy'!" she said as she held it up in triumph.  
  
     "Hey! Who's in there?" shouted a small voice from outside. Zelda quickly pulled down the ocarina and hid. She was worried. It wouldn't look good to be caught stealing. But knowing the secrets of the Shiekah, Zelda had an edge in not being seen. Suddenly through the window, a little ball of light came fluttering into the room. "I know you're in here! Come out right now!" threatened the ball of light. Zelda cocked her eyebrow in confusion.  
  
     "What's this?" she thought to herself. Zelda emerged from her hiding place and silently approached the little ball of light. "Ahem!" said Zelda with her arms crossed. She startled the little ball of light as it gave a sharp squeak and zipped up the chimney to hide. It slowly peered through the fireplace and tried to sound tough again.  
  
     "Who are you?" demanded the scared, pixie-like creature  
  
     "That's what I was just about to ask…" Zelda said with a calm confident voice as she stood with her arms crossed in annoyance. The little ball of light slowly came out of the chimney. Scared, it immediately complied with Zelda's wishes.  
  
     "M-my name is Mema." she said.  
  
     "Okay…A better question would be, 'what are you'?"  
  
     "I'm a s-stray fairy, what else would I be?"  
  
     "A stray fairy?" asked princess Zelda as she uncrossed her arms  
  
     "Yeah, there are tons of us. We live throughout the lost woods. We're called 'stray fairies' because we don't have a kokiri child to look after."  
  
     "Do you know Link?"  
  
     "Well of course I know Link, everyone in the forest knows Link! You're the stranger! Who are you? How did you find this place? And how do you know Link?" demanded Mema  
  
     "I'm Princess Zelda…" before she could finish Mema cut her off.  
  
     "What?! You aren't the Princess! You look nothing like her! The princess would never show off her curves like that you tramp!" accused Mema, referring to Zelda's Sheikah uniform that fit her form tightly. Zelda grimaced in anger behind her mask. "Now how did you find this place?"  
  
     "Epona brought me here…" Mema cut her off in mid sentence once again.  
  
     "What?! You didn't ride Epona! No one can ride Epona accept Link!"  
  
     "Well I did." Snapped the princess as she put one hand on her hip and flexed her hip out with attitude. Mema neared Zelda's one exposed eye and asked quietly,  
  
     "How do you know Link?"  
  
     "I told you. I'm Princess Zelda. I rode hear on Epona so I could find the ocarina of time."  
  
     "I don't believe you." said Mema. Zelda looked at Mema blankly for a moment and then played her lullaby on the ocarina  
  
     "That's-That's The royal family's special song! H-how do you know that song?!" Mema asked in shock.  
  
     "Because it was my lullaby when I was a little girl. I'm Princess Zelda, and Link needs my help."  
  
     "Link's in trouble?!" shouted Mema. "What's happened to Link?" she asked in a worried tone. Zelda calmly told Mema the events of the past forty-eight hours, and of the countdown to doomsday, when Ganon would be freed. Mema, was quiet for a long time. And then said, "Okay, let's say you are the 'Princess of destiny', what are you going to do to help?"  
  
     "Whatever I can. I have some ideas of what can be done, but it will be difficult. I need to speak with the other sages. Time is running out. Excuse me." said the princess as she turned to leave.  
  
     "Wait!" shouted Mema as she chased after Zelda "Please wait! Please?" she asked timidly as she flew in front of Zelda, brining her to a halt. "I want to help. Let me come, please." begged Mema.  
  
     "What can you do to help?" asked Zelda, who was thinking in terms of combat.  
  
     "'Whatever I can.'" she said. "Please, Link's my friend. He helped me out a long time ago and I owe him. The least I can do is try." Zelda's stone cold look, slowly faded to a smile.  
  
     "Of course you can come." she said.  
  
     "Terrific! We'll make an awesome team! 'Mema and Zelda'! We'll be legends! 'Charababa' won't know what hit him!" shouted Mema zipping about while Zelda calmly walked out to the stable to un-hitch Epona. Once Zelda mounted Epona, Mema asked, "Where do we go from here?" Zelda thought for a moment.  
  
     "I need to speak with Saria, do you know her?"  
  
     "Yeah! I know all the kokiri children! Ya' ever heard of 'Mido'? He's a real sleaze. One time he-"  
  
     "Can you take me to her?" asked Zelda  
  
     "Sure! She lives in the forest temple! Just follow me!" Zelda kicked her heels into Epona and made a clicking noise with her mouth. "So anyway, as I was saying, 'Mido', he thinks he's a real great leader! There was this time he-"  
  
     "How could you be friends with Link? He's always so bashful and quiet. And here's you who won't stop talking." asked Zelda  
  
     "How could you be friends with Link? At least I don't steal his sword and shield and Horse!" she raised her volume on 'horse'. Zelda looked up in annoyance.  
  
     "I did not! I'm just borrowing them for a while"  
  
     "Yeah, borrowing on a permanent basis you mean!"  
  
     "You take that back!"  
  
     "No! Make me!" And the duo bickered all the way into the heart of the lost woods. 


	7. Chapter Seven: A Mysterious Floating Isl...

Zelda and Mema slowly walked through the lost woods, all the while rain lightly fell on them. The dark clouds swirled above them. It wouldn't matter where in Hyrule the two went, lightning and thunder would follow them. The dreary weather depressed Mema.  
  
     "Why is the weather so gloomy all of a sudden? I went to bed last night and it was bright moonlight. It was warm and beautiful. Then in the middle of the night, a humungous crash of thunder woke me up!"  
  
     "That was Link becoming possessed by the fierce deity mask." said Zelda. Ever since Charantanatah took over Link, he has been able to use his power again. The weather is probably just part of the fall out of his power."  
  
     "I guess that thick feel of evil that's floating around is him too huh?"  
  
     "I wouldn't be surprised." lamented Zelda. "I'm sure the other sages have felt it as well." she said as she lifted her head to try and see beyond the trees.  
  
     "We're getting close now." said Mema. "Leave Epona here. We should go the rest of the way on foot."  
  
     "But…"  
  
     "Don't' worry about Epona. She'll be just fine. Link does it all the time. As soon as you play her song, she'll come running, every time. I promise." Mema reassured Zelda who didn't feel right leaving Epona alone in the woods, without even hitching her to anything.  
  
     They walked through a winding maze of trees until they came to a long staircase. It was old and covered in moss. "This way." said Mema. She led Zelda up the steps into an open area with a large stone slab that bore an insignia on it. "This is the forest temple." said Mema. Zelda looked around confused.  
  
     "What do you mean? I've been to the temple forest before. It's where I taught Link the 'Minuet of the Forest'. This isn't it."  
  
     "It is Zelda. Why do you think they call this 'the lost woods'?"  
  
     "What do you mean?"  
  
     "These woods are magical." revealed Mema. "That's why the children of the forest, or the kokiri, as you've probably come to know them cant leave the forest. They're magical too. They will live as long as the forest does. The lost woods are part of the magic kokiri forest. You see these woods are alive." Zelda's eyes widened in amazement. "That's why you can never go back into the lost woods and find the same place twice. It's constantly changing, growing, moving. These woods are alive Zelda. And only those who are part of the forest, like me, understand the way it changes. Because we change with it."  
  
     "Amazing…" said Zelda aloud. Zelda suddenly stopped and looked to the ground in remorse. She remembered what her father had in store for the poor creatures in the forest. She thought of how the magnificent, living forest would lose it's life to supply her father with ships so he could trade with Calatia.  
  
     "What's wrong?" asked Mema. Zelda looked up solemnly, too lost in thought to hear what she said.  
  
     "Hmm? Oh, its…it's nothing. Come on, we have to find Saria." Zelda said as she ran across the wide-open space and entered the temple. The temple was wide and vast. There were four main staircases that lead to different doors. "Okay, where to now?" asked Zelda.  
  
     "Right here." said Mema as she flew towards the circular junction point of all four staircases in the center of the temple. Zelda looked at Mema and then looked around the room and back at Mema again.  
  
     "Right where?" she shrugged.  
  
     "Right here Zelda." said Mema slightly impatient.  
  
     "I don't see her…"  
  
     "No, no, no, you're not thinking with your mind Zelda! Your thinking with your eyes! She wont appear unless you call her!" Zelda looked at Mema strangely for a moment then nervously called out to Saria. She felt silly doing such a thing. "Ugh! How did you ever get to be Princess?! Do you still have Link's ocarina that you stole?" Zelda pulled out the ocarina of time with a look of annoyance.  
  
     "I gave him this ocarina you know…" said Zelda as she shook it at Mema  
  
     "Yeah yeah, great great! Now play Saria's song to call her. Sheesh!" Zelda raised the ocarina to her lips, paused for a moment, then looked at Mema.  
  
     "How does that song go?"  
  
     "You don't know?!" shouted Mema Zelda shook her head. "Oh, this is great."  
  
     "Just teach me the song, Mema." said Zelda in annoyance as she raised the instrument to her lips again and waited to be instructed.  
  
     "Uhhh, right. Um, " Zelda looked up at Mema who was stalling.  
  
     "You don't know it do you?"  
  
     "Uh, no." said Mema in shame.  
  
     "Well, come on, let's scout around. Maybe we can find a clue." sighed Zelda as she tucked away the ocarina. Zelda made her way through all of the staircases, traversing all of the pitfalls, ledges, and walls that needed scaled. Any and all enemies that existed in this dungeon were gone, as were any items that may have been of any use. Having reached a dead end, Zelda regretfully left the forest temple. "Looks like Link was very thorough when he was here. There's nothing left. Even the deku babas never grew back."  
  
     "Don't' complain. Those things have real attitudes!" commented Mema. Zelda giggled.  
  
     "I still have to talk to Saria." said Zelda. Frustrated, she sat down on the large stone slab that bore the insignia.  
  
     "Well what would Link do?"  
  
     "Wait, for 'shiek' to show up and drop a hint, that's what." scoffed Zelda. Zelda sighed and began massaging her temples to help herself think. "I wish Rauru was here, I'd sure like to ask him if he knew another way to contact Saria." Zelda, who had her eyes closed didn't notice the pink glow she began to emit.  
  
     "Uh, Zelda?" asked Mema  
  
     "Shh! I'm trying to think Mema!" Zelda snapped.  
  
     "Zelda you really oughta' see this!" said the astonished Mema  
  
     "I said be quiet!" suddenly a voice rang out through the air.  
  
     "If you needed my help, you could have just asked for it Zelda. Don't take it on your friends. You know better than that." scolded the voice. Zelda looked up startled and looked everywhere, but saw no one.  
  
     "Ruaru?! Where, where are you?!" she called out.  
  
     "I'm speaking to you telepathically Zelda. Have you forgotten that you are a sage?"  
  
     "Well, no Rauru I-"  
  
     "Then why are you traipsing about the Forest temple?"  
  
     "I-I'm trying to find Saria." Rauru laughed at her.  
  
     "Ha! Well you'll never find her in there!"  
  
     "Well what am I supposed to do?" asked Zelda who was tired of not knowing what was what.  
  
     "You're trying to solve this Link's way Zelda. Your not Link."  
  
     "I know that…"said Zelda in a hush of shame.  
  
     "Don't sound so ashamed. Just because Link isn't here, doesn't mean that the job cant' get done. You have to think about the problem at hand from your own perspective. One that includes your magical power. You poses the triforce of wisdom Zelda, use it. The magic in your veins is powerful. You must learn how to make it's strength function to serve you, beyond what I have taught you. Only by reaching the full potential of your necro-skills will be able to complete your mission and save Link from the fierce deity mask's evil grasp. But work quickly Zelda, time is running out. I can't stall your father for very long. He will soon send another attack force after Link. One with even greater numbers than before."  
  
     "Thank you Rauru, I'll do my best."  
  
     "I know you will." All was quiet for a moment, save for the roaring thunder overhead, then Mema spoke.  
  
     "Who were you talking too? I didn't hear anyone else."  
  
     "Ruaru, Sage of light, and trusted advisor to the royal family. We were communicating telepathically."  
  
     "How can you do something like that?"  
  
     "I'm a sage as well."  
  
     "Really? That's so neat!" said Mema zipping about with glee.  
  
     "So can you just use your magic power to call Saria?" Zelda smiled and raised her hands to her temples again.  
  
     "I'm going to try." she said as she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. And as before, Zelda glowed pink as she tapped her power. "Saria…Saria…It is I, Zelda. I request your presence Saria." As Zelda concentrated, the pink aura that surrounded her began to swirl together with a green aura. Zelda did not witness the event since her eyes were closed. The power swirled together and moved directly behind Zelda to the center of the stone slab. It swirled tighter and tighter until it took the shape of Saria. Mema gasped in amazement. Zelda opened her eyes and looked up at Mema, she looked to the left and right and sighed. "I guess that wont work either."  
  
     "Why do you say that?" asked Saria with the pirky voice of a little girl. Zelda turned around startled.  
  
     "Saria!" she said with glee as she hugged her fellow sage. "It's been so long Saria. Thank you for coming."  
  
     "I had a feeling I would be hearing from you or Ruaru. Or from Link. The essence of evil hangs thick in the air. It's more powerful than anything I've ever sensed before." said Saria as she looked around. "I'm surprised Link hasn't done anything yet." Zelda looked away from Saria, unable to face her eyes with the horrible truth that stained hers. Saria immediately noticed Zelda's concern as she looked away and it frightened her. "Where is Link Zelda?" she asked innocently. Zelda looked back at Saria's eyes and it seemed to tell the whole story to her. Saria tensed up in fear as Zelda instinctively put her hands upon her to calm her. "Something's happened to him. Hasn't it? I know something is wrong Zelda tell me what happened to him-"  
  
     "Shhh." Zelda tried to calm the hysterical child. Link was Saria's best friend. Her fear for Link's well being added to the burden of Zelda's consciousness. She had found another person that she failed. Zelda was finally starting to understand the social structure of Link's life by through Mema, and now Saria. Link was the foundation of strength for all of Hyrule. He was a symbol of courage that gave Hyrule strength. His kindness and compassion for the innocent inspired the land. She knew there were so many others that depended on Link. But Link only ever depended on her. She remembered that Link was still depending on her and her eyes narrowed in determination once more. "Link is in trouble Saria. He needs my help." Suddenly Mema chimed in.  
  
     "Whoa! Wait a second! What's this 'my' stuff all of a sudden? He needs all of our help remember?"  
  
     "Link is my responsibility.!" said Zelda looking over her shoulder.  
  
     "He's my responsibility too." said Saria with tears in her eyes. Zelda looked back at Saria to see her silently grieving. "I held his heart before you did." she said looking at Zelda. Her words struck Zelda with power. Saria seemed to know what Zelda meant. Zelda felt slightly uncomfortable. "Please tell me what happened to Link."  
  
     Zelda told the tale of Link's great mistake and all the events leading up to it. She then told of the predicament that Hyrule faced and the count down to the release of Ganondorf. "Saria, I need your help. Ruaru has an idea that might work. We are going to try a ritual cleansing of the fierce deity mask to try and rid it of Charantanatah. However he and I cannot do it alone. We need you and all the other sages to contribute your power."  
  
     "Will that work?" asked Saria. Zelda looked away with thoughtful concern.  
  
     "I don't know. But we wont know until we try." Saria nodded.  
  
     "I will help you Zelda. I need to get Link back. The forest needs him." Zelda looked at Saria and slightly cocked her head.  
  
     "Why? What's the matter?"  
  
     "The forest is sick Zelda. The kokiri children are not well. It's been stemming from the Hylian court. Feelings of ill will have been slowly poisoning the life force of the forest over the past few months." She looked at Zelda and squinted in curiosity. "Why has this been happening Zelda? Have we angered the King?" Zelda's heart quickened pace. She was driven with compassion on Saria. She couldn't bear to be the one to deliver such treacherous news that her father had in store.  
  
     "…Is there anything that can be done Saria?" asked Zelda, who decided to avoid Saria's question all together. Saira knew Zelda was hiding something, but decided she had a good reason not to tell her anything.  
  
     "Well, there is an artifact that needs to be retrieved. I feel it may be able to counterbalance the evil coming from…" Saria looked at Zelda with slight fear. She didn't want to say that evil was coming from the royal court in front of the Princess. Zelda, nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
     "Where is this artifact? What does it do? What is it called?" asked Zelda. Saria looked at Zelda with confusion.  
  
     "Well it…it's a magic staff. When placed into the earth, it's magic will seep into the ground and strengthen the kokiri forest. It's called the 'rod of enrichment', but with Link gone…" Zelda felt more and more determined at the sight of Saria's despair.  
  
     "Where is it?" she asked  
  
     "W-why?"  
  
     "Please Saria. Tell me where it is." Saira became increasingly uncomfortable at Zelda's intense inquires.  
  
     "W-well it's…it's…it's in a place that very few people know about. Rauru might not even know about it. It's a floating island." Zelda looked astonished. "It floats above death mountain. That's what that ring of clouds is there for. It reminds everyone of the presence of the island. But the island can only be seen with the lens of truth…which…Link has." said Saria as she looked away from Zelda in depression.  
  
     "No! no! I know where it is! I just saw it a few hours ago! Link has it in a chest at his house!" said Zelda with enthusiasm  
  
     "What are you saying Zelda? Even if you know where the lens of truth is, we still have to get Link back first!" Zelda slowly stood up. "You're not suggesting…" said Saria in disbelief.  
  
     "I'll get the rod for you." said Zelda with confidence. "I know where the lens of truth is. I'll go back to Link's house and get it. Then I'll go find this floating island."  
  
     "Right on!" said Mema. "Well let's get moving! Quick! Call Epona with your ocarina! She's probably already wandered halfway back to Link's house by now!" Zelda pulled out the ocarina and just as she was about to put it to her lips, Saria stopped her.  
  
     "Wait Zelda!" Zelda looked down at Saria ready to tell her not to try and talk her out of it. "You can't go all the way back to Link's house and then to Death Mountain on foot! It will take too long!" Zelda was a bit surprised that Saria had so much faith in her as too not disagree with her.  
  
     "Well what should I do?"  
  
     "Let me teach you something…from one sage to another!" said Saria with a sly grin. "As sages we have power over magic. Magic is just a form of energy and we can retrace that energy. This is a little spell that I have worked on for several years now. It helps me get around the forest faster that way. It's a spell of teleportation!" Saria raised her hands and closed her eyes as a green aura resonated from her. Zelda, recognizing the procedure, closed her eyes and a pink aura surrounded her. Zelda was slowly lifted off the ground by the pink energy as the green energy that surrounded Saria moved to occupy the space that Zelda was standing on. Zelda slowly lowered back down onto the green energy as both auras were absorbed into her being. Zelda opened her eyes and smiled.  
  
     "Oh, I see now." She looked down at Saria, who was smiling. "That's very clever." she said "Thank you."  
  
     "One more thing Zelda." said Saria as she dug into her pocket. "Take this crystal shard. Use it to call me when you've found the other sages and are ready to help Link…if we can."  
  
     "Thank you Saria. Come on Mema." Zelda said as she put her hands together, closed her eyes and vanished in a ray of green light.  
  
  


End file.
